Jammu: The Exhibition Stalls established by Department of Agriculture, Jammu were the main attraction for the farmers on the inaugural day of Annual Jhiri Fair at village Kalayanpur (Jhiri).
The Agriculture Section was inaugurated and inspected by Member Parliament, Shamsher Singh Manhas, in presence of MLA, Marh Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar, MLA Chhamb Dr K. L Bhagat, MLA Doda Shakti Parihar, MLA Jammu East Rajesh Gupta, Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, Director Agriculture Jammu H.K Razdan, Joint Director Agriculture (Inputs), K. S. Sambyal, Arun K. Makhnotra, DAO(Ext); S. A.S. Reen ADO(Veg), S. Parmjit Singh, SDM, Marh (Mela Officer), Jammu; R. S. Jamwal, SDAO, Marh and other officers of the Agriculture & allied departments.
All types of Integrated Farming Techniques were displayed to encourage the farming community to achieve the goal of doubling the farm income by 2022 in accordance with the vision of the Prime Minister .
Different wings of the department like Vegetable Improvement Scheme, Mushroom Development Scheme, Seed Certification Scheme, Seed Analyst, Soil Testing Laboratory, Plant Health Clinic, Mobile Soil Testing Van, Floriculture, Soil Survey Organization etc have put up a wide variety of exhibits and samples to create awareness among the farmers regarding modern agricultural technology and to educate them on improved inputs usage and skills. The Agriculture Workshop of the Department also has displayed many tools and implements of agriculture use including Grain Storage Bins, Branch Cutters, Winnowing Fans and many other manually and animal driven improved implements like Ploughs, Kudals, Spades and Digging Hoes. The heavy agriculture machines like Tractors, Rotavators, Paddy Transplanters, Reaper-cum-Binders, Seed-cum-Fertilizer Drills, Zero Tillers, Potato-Ridger-Cum-Planters, Sprayers have also been displayed by different private supplying agencies. The various crop raising techniques, demonstration of machines and other Pre & Post harvest crop operations were shown to the farmers through display banners. Some of the progressive farmers including traditional crop growers from districts like Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, Kathua, Poonch are also displaying and selling their farm produce like Turmeric, Garlic, Mushrooms, Saffron and Honey etc.
More than 500 live exhibits of paddy, maize, vegetables, mushroom and sugarcane crops brought by the farmers of different places were displayed to the public after registration and assessment by the Judging Committee.
Prizes were given to 180 farmers for best exhibits out of which 31 bagged Ist prizes, 26 IInd, 23 3rd and 100 consolation prizes.
The Agriculture Department bagged first prize among the stalls while Floriculture Department got 2nd prize and Horticulture Department 3rd prize. Director Agriculture Jammu received the prize from the Chief Guest Shamsher Singh Manhas, Member Parliament.
During the Jhiri Mela, the officers and field functionaries of the department would interact with the farmers to provide detailed knowledge about the different schemes and programs being implemented and promoted by the department to make the farming more enterprising and profitable.
