First consignment of Kashmir walnuts from Budgam despatched

• A truck carrying 2,000 kgs was despatched to Bengaluru, Karnataka under the One District, One Product (ODOP) Initiative of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• Kashmir accounts for 90% of India’s walnut production.
• With their superior quality and taste, the Kashmiri walnuts are a great source of nutrients and hence widely in demand across the globe.

“One District One Product (ODOP)”

• It is basically a Japanese business development concept, which gained prominence in 1979.
• It is aimed at promoting a competitive and staple product from a specific area to push sales and improve the standard of living of the local population.
• Over time, it has been replicated in other Asian countries as well.

Objective

• ODOP is aimed at giving a major push to traditional industries synonymous with the respective districts of the state.
• The objective of the ODOP is to optimize production, productivity and income, preservation and development of local crafts, promotion of art, improvement in product quality and skill development.

First started by the Uttar Pradesh government.

• To support the production of horticultural items under the “One District One Product (ODOP)” scheme and provide better nutrition to school children, the Uttar Pradesh government may introduce Sunahri Kand, also known as orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, in the hot-cooked food scheme of Anganwadis and the mid-day meal scheme in primary schools.
• Under the initial phase of the ODOP programme, 106 Products have been identified from 103 districts across 27 States.
• State Export Promotion Committee (SPEC) and District Export Promotion Committee (DEPC) have been constituted in all states and districts of India, except districts of the state of West Bengal.

The main objectives of the One District One Product Scheme of Uttar Pradesh are as follows:

1. Preservation and development of local crafts / skills and promotion of the art.
2. Increase in the incomes and local employment (resulting in decline in migration for employment).
3. Improvement in product quality and skill development.
4. Transforming the products in an artistic way (through packaging, branding).
5. To connect the production with tourism (Live demo and sales outlet – gifts and souvenir).
6. To resolve the issues of economic difference and regional imbalance.
7. To take the concept of ODOP to national and international level after successful implementation at State level.