Srinagar, November 24: As a sequel to government’s endeavor towards realizing Prime Minister’s goal of doubling income of farmers by 2022, Principal Secretary Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Department, Navin Kumar Choudhary, today launched farm machinery distribution camp at Agriculture Complex Lalmandi, Srinagar.
Principal Secretary handed over the keys of tractors and mobile vending carts to the beneficiary farmers under CAPEX.
He also inspected the stalls established by some of the progressive farmers and agri-entrepreneurs of the valley during the camp.
Speaking on the occasion, Principal Secretary exhorted upon the officers to guide the farmers towards increasing production of different agriculture crops amid the changing climatic and environmental conditions. He said that promoting mechanization among the farming community, human resource development through trainings and awareness programs, diversification of agriculture, organic way of cultivation are the important contours to achieve the vision of self reliance in the field of agriculture.
Navin Choudhary reiterated the importance of connecting farmers with the buyers saying that it should be done at Panchayat and block level so that the farmers could fetch maximum returns for their produce. ‘We are unique in some crops and agriculture products like saffron, black zeera, red chilli, green peas, Guchee (Wild Mushroom) ghee, and other spices which needs to be promoted and introduced to the different marketing platforms at global level’, he maintained. He highlighted the importance of strict adherence to the set parameters so far as the organic vegetable cultivation is concerned. He said the organic vegetables produced must be purely organic and should meet the global parameters.
Director Agriculture, Kashmir, Choudhary Mohammad Iqbal, briefed the Principal Secretary regarding the initiative under which the farm machinery was provided to the beneficiary farmers.
Director J&K Horticulture Planning and Marketing Vishesh Mahajan, Joint Director Agriculture Extension, Sheikh Shahid Iqbal, Joint Director Agriculture Inputs Farooq Ahmad Bhat, Joint Director Apiculture and Mushroom, Peer Syed Mohammad, Chief Agriculture Officer, Srinagar, Mohammad Younis Chowdhary and other senior officers of the department were present on the occasion.
Later, Principal Secretary had an interaction session with the LULU Group regarding marketing of different agriculture products from the UT at international level.
