Srinagar, Nov 04 (KNS): Director Horticulture Kashmir Ajaz Ahmad Bhat on Wednesday made an extensive tour of District Kulgam and visited various orchards in different horticulture zones. The Director was accompanied by Deputy Director Horticulture Kashmir, Subject Matter Specialist and other field staff. During his visit, he impressed orchardists for timely pruning after harvesting fruit crop and also exhorted orchardists for Soil Testing of their orchards, application of organic fertilizer, vermi compost for Soil Health Management. Besides irrigation facility be provided to strengthen the potential of orchardist for production of quality fruit crop by way of digging of Tube well, Bore wells for which Department is providing assistance under various developmental schemes.
A deputation of nursery growers met Director Horticulture and put forth various demands, Director Horticulture assured that all possible help shall be provided to the growers for production of quality plant material besides he advised them to propagate the planting material on elite clonal root stock for better returns.
For any technical guidance about overall orchard management, the orchardists are free to feel to contact Subject Matter Specialist Kulgam on 9419073331 and Horticulture Development Officer on 8899694030.
Later on, in order to monitor procurement of Apple under Market Intervention Scheme, the Director Horticulture visited notified collection centers viz. Fruit Mandi Kulgam, Fruit Mandi Shopian & Jablipora Anantnag. He took stock of all necessary arrangements including security, electricity, accommodation and sanitization facilities at the sites.
Director Horticulture assured the staff posted at these mandies that the issues faced by them will be taken up with the concerned authorities for early redressal particularly related to security arrangements roundDirector Horticulture highlighted the objectives of the MIS which are aimed to provide optimum prices to the growers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme will make way for procurement of 12 Lakh Metric Tonne of apples which will not only ensure profitability to the apple growers but at the same time, it will also create rural employment through supplementary services such as packaging, transportation etc.(KNS)