Pulwama 29 April (KNS): Director Horticulture Kashmir Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, (KAS) ade an extensive tour of District Pulwama and Shopian and took the stock of the situation particularly the availability of the pesticides in the respective areas for the management of various diseases/pests of fruit crops. He was accompanied by the Chief Horticulture officers and other District cadre officers of the respective areas.

He assured the farming community that the pesticide /Fertilizer shops in the respective areas will remain open during the lockdown period, however, the farmers and the allied businessmen dealing with the pesticides have to ensure that proper SoPs will remain in force.

He later visited ACHD Farm Zainapora Shopian where he was appraised by the farm Manager concerned with regard to the activities viz a viz multiplication of rootstocks and propagation of elite fruit plants for the establishment of high-density orchards. Director also inspected the irrigation infrastructure and its distribution system in the ACHD Farm.

The Farm Manager was directed on spot that he must ensure that the distribution system shall be laid to facilitate the fruit plant nursery established in the farm and the high-density orchard already laid in the vicinity of ACHD Zainapora.

Further Director Horticulture inspected the Green Houses structures established at Advanced Centre and was appraised that the exotic planting material is maintained in the facility for its quarantine evaluation studies. He has also given the instructions that the Advance centre is the backbone of the Horticulture sector in J&K has the potential to raise millions of fruit plants in near future.

The farm Manager concerned was given instructions to ensure that he must utilize all the resources for the production of quality planting material from the centre so that under the backyard Horticulture programme the Department will cover a minimum area of one kanal for the establishment of backyard orchards instead of providing four plants to each household.

The Farm Manager and his team of officials working at ACHD Zainaproa were appreciated that despite deficit staff they have carried out all the time-bound operations in letter and spirit. They were promised that letter of appreciation will be awarded to the best contributors. (KNS)