Srinagar August 16:(KNS) Director Horticulture kashmir Visits Shopian and Fruit Plant Nursary RP Nowgam pulwama, Advocates For Proper Irigation and Sprays must be used at Evening hours.

Shopian is the main source of Horticulture since From several decades and Horticulture sector Is the back bone of Kashmiris Economy and Departments of Horticulture plays very important role in boosting Horticulture industries and educates time to time apple growers

Director Horticulture kashmir Ajaz Ahmad Bhat visited different area of Shopian to look the qualities of crop in the district and once again advocates farmers to practise high density plants in their orchards

Direcrtor Horticulture said that the future of Apple industry are High Density plants and Department itself has planted 6 lac colonal root stocks and density plants in several nurseries at Shopian including Asia largest Horticulture farm at Zainapora.

Director Horticulture also visited many Public orchards and discussed the issues being faced by orchardists.he also advocates that the public should convert their traditional crop into high quality one apple through Top working technologies.

The Director also advised that Orchards should be irrigated properly as no rains has witnessed since from long time and the orchards must be sprayed At Evening time as in day the temp remains very high and in high temp, any spray can Destroy the crops of any orchard.

Meanwhile, Director Horticulture visited an orchard, which has been converted by Top work Grafting on traditional trees and has converted them into high yielding qualitifull fruits and said that, the practice of Top working Grafting is also beneficial for orchards

The orchard owner shahnawaz said that Horticulture Department helps him time to time in the process of conversion of 30 year old trees in new high qualitiful apples and he has benefited lot from this New varity

At the mean time, The director also added that Govt is looking to relaunch Market intervention scheme this year too, so that the apple Growers get satisfied rates and the govt is using their marketing strategies to enforce MIS too in this year.
He further added that district shopian and pulwama produces about 2 lac High density plants of apple & almond,& other stone fruits and Annually we r able to produce n multiply about 18-20lac colonal rootstocks in these twin districts.

Further he added that The Department of Horticulture has also brought 2 mobile soil testing Vans and the Vans are in the welfare of public and any person can approach Department for conducting soil test and soil test also gives an indicator about the Conversation of traditional plants into new varieties.

He also said that the dry spell has also created lot of problems for Horticulturist.if any area has need of community bore well. They can contact Department Horticulture or directorate horticulture and the department will definitely assist them.

District Level Subject Matter Specialist, Muzaffar Ahmad and horticulture Development Officer Mukhtar Ahmad and other officials of department besides farmers where present on the occasion.(KNS)