LUDHIANA
The Punjab Horticultural Postharvest Technology Centre (PHPTC), located at Punjab Agricultural University, organized a training programme on “Postharvest Handling and Value Addition” for entrepreneurs of Jai Kisan Welfare Society from Hoshiarpur. In all, 10 young entrepreneurs of this group attended the training programme. Jai Kisan Welfare Society is led by an engineer from Thapar University, who is dedicated to serve the society by providing best quality agro products to the consumers on the basis of the principle ‘direct field to home.’ This society has opened a marketing outlet which is providing fresh and organic vegetables, pulses, turmeric and honey directly to the consumers by bridging the supply chain gap between the consumer and the farmers. The trainees were given hands-on-training on different techniques involved in grading, packaging, storage, ripening, processing and marketing of perishable produce. They were also given tips on selling of fresh vegetables in consumer packs for maintaining quality and earning better market price.

Dr BVC Mahajan, Director of the Centre, said the horticultural crops are highly perishable and spoil rapidly during marketing and supply chain. However, these losses can be avoided if simple interventions like adequate packaging, storage and low cost processing techniques are adopted, he suggested.

Dr Mahesh Kumar and Dr Swati Kapoor conducted the training programme and delivered lectures on entrepreneurship development, and processing technologies for horticultural produce.