Jammu and Kashmir is the country’s major walnut producing region and is a major horticulture produce of Kashmir. The harvesting season of walnut starts in the month of August and goes till month of September.
Though production of walnut is a major source of employment for scores of people but plucking of walnuts is most dangerous and risky job in valley. But this trouble have reduced a bit as an innovator from the Anantnag district of J&K has brought out a series of innovations for making the processing of walnuts easier.
Mushtaq Ahmed Dar from Anantnag has made a device for climbing poles and making the procedure for walnuts easy.
As per Ministry of Science and Technology walnut cracking machine, walnut peeler, washer, and sorter to for effective walnut production and reduce the over burdened work of people involved in walnut processing. It has also helped the people in this industry by allowing them to supply fresh kernels to local and international markets by cracking walnut of various sorts such as paper-shelled, thin-shelled, medium-shelled, and hard-shelled.
As per reports, it has also helped in expanding business by even exporting and promoting the edible fruit inside and not the shelled walnut, thereby making the final product more appealing. Moreover, risk of cracking of shells has also been reduced which has reduced the risk for eyes. Even the international markets particularly from Afghanistan, during India – Afghanistan Trade and Investment Show in the year 2017 has shown interest in this.
Genesis of his other innovation – Pole-Pro eliminated the need for heavy ladders in most situations. It helped first-hand diagnosis of problems in electricity, telecom, and other poles with safety protocols.
“Today, the technology is available in the market through Anventa Gadgetix Pvt Ltd, a start-up recognized by the Government of India (DIPP25154) and incubated by NIFientreC (NIF Incubation and Entrepreneurship Council), a Technology Business Incubator (TBI) hosted by NIF and supported by DST,” the ministry said.
These innovations and many more in which Mushtaq collaborated with other innovators have made two start-ups recognized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).