SRINAGAR, JUNE 01 (KNS): The Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal today kick-started the sale of summer flower seedlings (Hybrid, Open pollinated) at Floriculture nursery Lalmandi, here.

The Director inspected different sections/ Hi Tech Poly houses of the floriculture nursery and interacted with the concerned technical experts.

After initiating the proceedings, sharing his views, the Director said that the department has introduced many initiatives to extend the activities under the floriculture development scheme.

Iqbal said home gardening is a new emerging trend in Kashmir and landscape gardening is now an integral part of home gardening. He said the department is endeavouring to develop organised commercial floriculture units which in turn will help in entrepreneurship development and livelihood  small land holding farmers.

Owing to the geo climatic conditions of our region and being one of the top tourist destinations in the country cut flowers, ornamental and aromatic floriculture has huge potential of employment generation, he added.

Director asked the concerned officers to organise awareness/ training programmes for farmers, educated youth, so that they could get employment opportunities in the concerned trade.

Director was accompanied by Floriculture Development officer Kashmir G. M. Dhobi and other officers of the Nursery.(KNS)