Soil heath card scheme progressing well: Director Agriculture

Srinagar: While taking stock of the Soil Health Card Scheme in Kashmir Division, Director Agriculture Kashmir Syed Altaf Aijaz Andrabi Tuesday said the scheme is progressing well despite various challenges. The soil health card scheme is among the flagship programmes of the Prime Minister.
Director Agriculture Kashmir also inspected the Soil Testing Laboratory Lalmandi, Srinagar and held a meeting with the Agriculture Chemist, Soil Chemist and other concerned officers. Director stressed for soil testing of all individual farm fields in a phased manner and also for giving specific recommendations about the use of fertilizers and micronutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility. He said it will boost the farmers’ income by making precise and needful use of chemical fertilizers and nutrients.
He was apprised that in the second cycle of soil health card scheme, the centre has fixed a target of collecting 90012 soil samples. So far under the scheme, 90473 soil samples were collected, while 88646 samples have been tested so far and 695275 soil health cards have been distributed among the farmers of Kashmir Division.
Further, the Director while highlighting the importance of the soil health card the scheme said by issuing the soil health cards the farmers will get a well monitored report of the soil which is chosen for the cultivation of crops and there will be regular monitoring. The farmers will be guided by experts to come up with solutions to improve the quality of the soil.
The Soil health card will be helpful and effective to improve soil fertility and to access the different types of soil and their ability to support crop production in spite of their limitations and as per their abilities.
It was further revealed that the soil testing process is carried out in all the districts by experts in soil testing laboratories and also by making use of mobile soil testing vans in the far-flung areas and the desired targets of soil testing and issuing of cards has been achieved in full.