SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 20 (KNS): The Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhury Mohammad Iqbal today kick-started seedling distribution of different vegetable crops at kitchen garden Lalmandi Srinagar.

While interacting with the farmers, kitchen garden lovers, backyard vegetable growers, urban farmers and farmers from the adjacent areas of the Srinagar district, the Director Agriculture reiterated department’s commitment to ensure the availability of quality vegetables seedlings round the year to the farmers in general and urban farmers in particular so that vegetable sector could be promoted not only in the rural areas but in Srinagar and other urban areas of the valley as well.

Director Agriculture said that kitchen gardening/backyard farming is trending and this not only provides an opportunity to produce fresh vegetables for household consumption to the concerned farmers but also gives an idea to train the youth in agriculture activities which in some of the developed countries of the world is an important part of School curriculum.

Iqbal said that the department has already started the distribution of vegetable seedlings in different districts of Kashmir division and this process will continue in coming days in a phased manner.

Later, the Director Agriculture visited the integrated mushroom development centre (IMDC) and took stock of various activities and held an interactive session with the officers of the centre.(KNS)