JAMMU, January 14, 2026 — Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today evaluated a series of strategic proposals by the Agriculture Production Department (APD) designed to revolutionize the production of wool, milk, and meat in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting focused on strengthening value chains, genetic upgradation, and expanding processing infrastructure to create sustainable livelihood opportunities and bolster the regional economy.
Key officials, including the Vice Chancellor of SKUAST Jammu and Commissioner Secretaries from the Industries, Cooperatives, and Tribal Affairs departments, attended the session to coordinate this multi-sectoral initiative.
A central pillar of the discussion was the PAAVAN (Processing, Aggregation, and Value Addition Network for Wool) project, which aims to modernize the wool sector through a three-tier cooperative federation.
Given that Jammu and Kashmir is the second-largest wool producer in India, contributing 21% of the national total, the project proposes establishing two major processing units in Jammu and Srinagar. To further enhance livestock productivity, the Chief Secretary was briefed on the J&K Elite Sheep Mission, which utilizes Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT) to accelerate genetic improvement.
This mission envisions 20 dedicated ETT laboratories across the Union Territory to rapidly multiply high-yielding germplasm and strengthen pure-line sheep populations.Additionally, the meeting reviewed the J&K Dairy Value Chain Infrastructure Expansion Programme, which plans to establish 1,000 new milk value-addition units over the next five years.
This initiative aims to reduce post-harvest losses and improve price realization for dairy farmers by expanding organized processing capacity. Chief Secretary Dulloo emphasized the need for timely implementation, digital monitoring, and grassroots capacity building, directing the APD to ensure the convergence of schemes to maximize income enhancement for farmers across the livestock sector.
