Rays of Innovation

In 2008, on a serene autumn morning in the village of Darbagh, nestled in the tranquil corners of South Kashmir’s Shopian district, a transformative idea sparked in the mind of a young scientist.

Dr Javid Ahmad Dar, with a postdoctorate in Biotechnology, was observing his mother diligently drying vegetables under the genial rays of the sun, employing age-old and conservative methods.

This seemingly ordinary household chore marked the beginning of a remarkable journey, where tradition and modern science would intertwine to reshape the future of food preservation. A resident of Darbagh, Dr Dar had returned to his roots after pursuing a postdoctoral programme in the United States, following his completion of a PhD from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

The bucolic life in Darbagh, adorned with lush orchards and fertile fields, has long been a cradle of traditional agricultural practices. However, it was amidst this rustic charm that Dr Dar saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between age-old wisdom and contemporary biotechnological innovation.
As he began working on extending the shelf life of vegetables, the scene of his mother using traditional ways for preserving the vegetables played before his eyes like something running on a screen.

There are a host of scientific techniques employed in preserving processed foods and other eatables.  However, according to Dar, such techniques involve the use of a chemical preservative called Sodium Benzoate.
Researchers around the world have raised concerns over the safety of the chemical.

“An increased concentration of the chemical could prove very harmful,” says Dar.
After some 8 years, Dar came up with the techniques of preserving vegetables and other food items in an organic way.

“I have interned with many companies in the US and gained good expertise in drug discovery, food processing and preservation,  and tissue culture.  I  take their guidance in developing the technique,” he said.
Upon his return, he immediately set up a food processing unit—Khorasan High-tech Food Processing Industry—in Pulwama’s bustling Lassipora industrial complex.

“We process our products in natural ways using the modern scientific procedure,” Dar said.  
Dar processes at least 50 products in his unit ranging from different types of pickles, and jams to murabba.
He claims to have for the first time manufactured the apple pickle at commercial level.

The pickle has also come to the rescue of apple cultivators as Dar procures copious quantities of C-grade apples to make the pickle.
“Last year we utilized at least 300 quintals of such apples, but this year we are planning to procure more,” said Dar.

At present, more than 50 people are directly or indirectly relying on Dar’s processing unit for their livelihood.
He has formed multiple groups of women in his village who help him in the cleaning process.

” These women are indirectly associated with the unit. They help in removing the soil, waxes and other things attached on the surface of the vegetables”, he said.

The annual turnover of Dar has touched Rs 1.5 crore last year.
Dar has made his products available at all crucial points across the Valley.
The juice junctions at famous holidaying resorts like Gulmarg and Pahalgam also sell his products.
Dar claims to have left a lucrative teaching job in Saudi Arabia to start his business.

“It was not only about extending the shelf life of products by natural scientific means. It was also about my urge to launch a startup, “he said.
Dar said that the start-up ecosystem was thriving and “it is the era of startups.”

“The young educated youth should not waste their energy after government jobs. There are an array of opportunities in the entrepreneurial sector,” he said.