Srinagar: Director Agriculture Kashmir, Syed Altaf Aijaz Andrabi Wednesday said for the development of agriculture in the State quality planting material and creating an effective and sustainable system of supply of high-quality seeds is important.
The director made these remarks during his visit to Seed Multiplication Farm, Padgampora. He said seed quality is the basic and crucial input for attaining sustained growth in agriculture production.
He said the benefits of an improved variety are not released unless enough of true seed is produced and distributed among the farmers and said seed is the very fundamental input for introducing the new technology to crop production, propagation and multiplication.
Andrabi said one of the biggest challenges is ensuring a wider distribution of quality seed and steps are being taken in this direction. He said the department is working on a roadmap to ensure timely and enough supply of quality seeds is provided to individual smallholder farmers to achieve desirable results.
Director Agriculture impressed upon the officers and the staff of the Seed Multiplication Farm that all the opportunities should be cashed in and possibilities should be explored to maximize the production and productivity of the farm so that more farmers could have access to the quality seeds of different crops at affordable prices.
Joint Director Agriculture Extension/Inputs, Deputy Director Agriculture Central, Water Use Specialist and other senior officers of the department accompanied the Director during the visit.
