Pulwama: The Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal Saturday visited Seed Multiplication Farm (SMF) Padgampora, here.
During the visit, the Director held interaction with the officers and said that seed quality is the basic input for attaining sustained growth in agriculture production. The benefits of any improved variety are not released unless enough of true seed is produced and distributed among the farmers.
He further added that Seed is the fundamental input for introducing the new technology to crop production, propagation and multiplication thereby the production of quality seed and the distribution of new and improved seed is one of the top priorities of the department.
Chowdhary said that one of the biggest challenges is ensuring a wider distribution of quality seeds and the department is working to ensure timely and sufficient supply of quality seeds to farmers to achieve desirable results.
The Director impressed upon the officers and the field functionaries of the SMF that all the efforts should be made to maximise the production and productivity of the farm, so that more and more farmers could have access to the quality seeds of different crops at affordable prices.
Manager SMF Padgampora, Sartaj Ahmad Shah briefed the Director regarding various developmental activities at seed processing plant Malangpora and SMF Padgampora and informed that 12,303 quintals of paddy (certified) and 784 quintals of paddy foundation seed have been processed and the quantity has been provided to various districts for distribution among farming community and as well as for establishing seed villages respectively.
Joint Director Apiculture & Mushrooms, Joint Director Agriculture Extension, Deputy Director Law Enforcement Kashmir and other senior officers of the department accompanied the Director during the visit.
Later, the Director visited Organic Vegetable Village Patalbagh besides he also made surprise visits to different agriculture extension offices of the district to monitor and take note of service deliverance to the farming community.
