Mr Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, KAS Director Horticulture Kashmir on Thursday held an extensive tour
of Centre of Excellence Zawoora Srinagar to review its functioning and have taken stock of the
works/ initiatives being undertaken for the Development of Horticulture sector by way of new
interventions. He was accompanied by senior officers of the department. Director Horticulture
inspected various activities undertaken particularly high density orchards established and their
management. He took stock of all the ongoing developmental activities at the Centre of
Excellence. Director Horticulture visited the Centre of excellence building under completion
which can accommodate clinical facilities, Laboratory and training facilities for the farming
community. Director Horticulture conveyed instructions to the Executive Engineer Horticulture
P&M Construction Division Srinagar for completion of works within shortest possible time
frame. Director Horticulture informed that COE is a prestigious project of the Department
where demonstration of orchards of different varieties of fruit crops like apple, pear ,
peach,plum,Nectarine,apricot, cherry are being showcased for its promotion and adoption in
the farmers field.
 Director Horticulture also visited walnut nursery project Zawoora where preparations are
on for conducting grafting walnut under controlled conditions, while discussing the
preparations in this regard, Director emphasized on the issues of propagation that the officers
must ensure grafting procedures on walnut root stocks under the scheduled time frame. Further
added that the experienced staff must be deployed on the job for speedy completion of the
grafting operation under controlled conditions and the entire facility created for such operations
shall be utilized in full without any fail. Later on Director Horticulture planted fruit plants in the
germ plasm bank for taking a lead in the plantation drive in public sector nurseries.(KNS)