Srinagar, Sep 25 (KNS): Director Horticulture Kashmir Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, on Friday chaired a meeting to review the status of implementation of High Density Plantation Programme at Directorate of Horticulture in which all Chief Horticulture Officers, Private Enterprises and representative from J&K bank participated.
During the meeting, Private Enterprisehas informed that all the logistics are ready and targets shall be achieved within time line. Director instructed all the Chief Horticulture Officers as well as Private Enterprises to ensure that all the required conditions be fulfilled before plantation and work must be completed within stipulated time. Instructions were also given to bring more farmers under the ambit of High Density Plantation Programmee with a focus on small and marginal farmers so that income of farmers is doubled as envisioned by Prime Minister. He instructed the JIT members to complete Joint Inspection of the Apple High Density Orchards within a period of 15 days.
Later progress of other activities under implementation in each District were reviewed by Director Horticulture one by one. He stressed to ensure sufficient attention to grow true to type plants of walnuts to meet the requirement of orchardists. Chief Horticulture Officer Shopian was instructed to assess the gap between have and have nots of necessary infrastructure required in the Apple Cluster Shopian so that Government of India is approached for allocation of sufficient funds for end to end solution of the problems of the Apple industry. Chief Horticulture Officer, Budgam was instructed to lay stress on the development of Pear in addition to Apple in the District as best quality pears are produced by the farmers in the District.
further instructions like survey and guidance to the farmers for addressing the issue of scab, organizing training/awareness camps on a large scale for guidance to the growers about the adoption of latest techniques of fruit cultivation, providing of skill development training to the unemployed youths in respective District be on the top priority.
A new idea of providing space to the Apple growers for selling their products on Sundays to be organised for the purpose at Horticulture complex Rajbagh was conceived and all the Chief Horticulture Officers were directed to give a practical shape to this new initiative. (KNS)