Continuing the Government’s endeavor to realize Prime Minister’s goal of doubling the income of farmers by 2022 Principal Secretary Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare Department Navin Kumar Chowdhary launched a farm machinery distribution camp at Agriculture Complex Lalmandi, Srinagar.
Principal Secretary handed over the keys of tractors/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.
Speaking on the occasion, Principal Secretary AP&FWD Navin Kumar Chowdhary called upon the officers of the Department to guide the farmers to increase the production of different agriculture crops amidst the changing climatic and environmental conditions. Mr. Navin Chowdhary 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 Chowdhary reiterated the importance of connecting the farmers with the buyers. He said it should be done at Panchayat and block levels 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, Kalandy, spices etc which needs to be promoted and introduced to the different marketing platforms at global level, he said. It will lead to the development and prosperity of the farmers associated with these crops and agriculture products, he added. 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 Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal briefed Principal Secretary regarding the initiative under which the farm machinery was provided to the beneficiary farmers.
Principal Secretary was received by Director Agriculture Kashmir Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal, 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 and other senior officers of the Department.
Later on Principal Secretary AP&;FWD had an interaction session with the LULU Group regarding the marketing of different agriculture products from UT at international level.
