Recent technologies will lead to improved sustainability: Director Agriculture Kashmir
Agriculture Department Kashmir under “National Mission on Edible Oils” launches valley wide massive campaign to double the area under Oilseeds (Mustard)
Recent technologies will lead to improved sustainability:
Director Agriculture Kashmir
Press Trust Of Kashmir | Srinagar: Continuing the Departments endeavor to realize the Prime Minister’s goal of doubling the income of farmers by 2022, Department of Agriculture Kashmir under “National Mission on Edible Oils” today launched a two day massive campaign for doubling the area under Oilseeds (Mustard) during Rabi 2021-22.
The campaign was initiated by Director Agriculture Kashmir Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal from Srinagar district and a series of events including field visits, participation in Oilseed sowing operations, awareness programs for farmers, interactive sessions with the farmers, bike and car rallies have also been organized by the Department across the valley.
After formally inaugurating today’s mass campaign, Director Agriculture said that Agriculture Production & Farmer’s Welfare Department Jammu and Kashmir under the supervision of Principal Secretary AP&FWD Navin Kumar Choudhary has chalked out an ambitious plan for increasing oilseed production to cut imports of edible oil in the country. He further added that Government is planning to double the area under the cultivation of oilseeds during coming Rabi season by way of utilizing paddy land which otherwise remains idle during the winter in cold climatic areas, and sowing of mustard in these paddy lands will produce an additional crop.
Chowdhary Iqbal emphasized on the importance of oilseed in the agriculture sector. He said there is a great scope for this crop in the valley as far its productivity and oil recovery rate is comparatively better than many other parts of the country, and these are the driving forces that Department is taking seriously in order to increase the area under this important crop. He said the agro climatic conditions for the cultivation of mustard are very conducive and we are expecting good returns in days to come.
Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal while highlighting the importance of recent technologies for crop improvement programs said that various conventional methods have been exploited for enhancing the yield of oilseed crops like mustard, however for further improvement there is a need to adopt recent technologies, which will lead to improved sustainability. Sustainability is very important and any technology which does not have negative impact on sustainability must be considered in crop improvement programs, he said, and added.
Director Agriculture asked the officers/officials of the Department to work in close coordination with the farming community and ensure that all the recent interventions are being adopted and practiced by the farmers on their field.
Similar functions were held in all the districts of Kashmir valley. The different events organized by the Department in the two districts of central Kashmir (Srinagar/Budgam) were supervised by Joint Director Agriculture Inputs Kashmir Farooq Ahmad Shah. In South Kashmir’s Anantnag / Kulgam the proceedings were monitored by Joint Director Agriculture Extension Kashmir Shahid Iqbal Sheikh while as in Pulwama and Shopian the massive campaign was run under the supervision of Joint Director Agriculture Apiculture and Mushroom Development Kashmir Mohammad Sayed Peer. In north Kashmir’s Baramulla and Kupwara districts massive campaign was lead by Joint Director Agriculture PHM&FM Kashmir Mohammad Qasim Gani while as in district Bandipora and Ganderbal the massive campaign for doubling the area under oilseeds (Mustard) and the related events were lead by Joint Director Agriculture Farms Kashmir Dr. Syed Waseem Ahmad Shah.(PTK)
