Horticulture Deptt kick starts campaign for rejuvenation of old & senile orchards

Jammu : With the onset of dormant season, the Horticulture Department Saturday kick started a campaign for Rejuvenation of old & senile Orchards under HADP, project-21, a key initiative of JK Govt.
During an extensive tour of District Kathua, Director Horticulture Jammu C L Sharma met farmers, who gathered in large numbers to understand the concept of Rejuvenation for enhancing farm income.
The Director Horticulture inaugurated rejuvenation projects at Jandi, Hira Nagar and Chak Desa Singh of district Kathua in the old Mango orchards of beneficiaries namely Rameshwar Singh and Ashwani Trahan respectively.
Later, he visited the Govt fruit plant nursery Ludhwal and inspected ongoing developmental works taken up under the MIDH scheme. He laid emphasis on conversion of this nursery into a Hi-tech nursery with latest facilities under NABARD and instructed the officer for preparation of DPR including infrastructure developmental works and protected cultivation structures.
Further, the Director had an interaction with the women trainees at the “One day Training Camp on Fruit / Vegetable Preservation” at Amala, Barnoti. He asked them to take full benefit by learning the art of fruit & vegetables preservation. He assured them that the department will assist them in setting up Micro Food Processing units for the value addition of fruit and vegetable products which will provide them employment opportunities.
Later, the Director Horticulture chaired a meeting of the District Officers, Horticulture Development Officers, officials & field functionaries of district Kathua. He instructed the officers to organize awareness camps, Kissan goshtis, etc. to ensure better implementation of departmental schemes especially HADP for the ultimate benefit of the fruit growers.
Earlier, Chief Horticulture Officer Kathua, Ashwani Sharma briefed the chair about the ongoing works and achievements made under different schemes being implemented in the district.