Trial run conducted to assess operational efficiency of advance nursery machines
Jammu: Director Agriculture Jammu (DAJ), Anil Gupta, Wednesday reviewed the ongoing works of the Centre of Excellence (COE) for Entrepreneurship in Precision Vegetable and Floriculture Farming being established under the Vegetable Improvement Scheme (VIS) at Krishi Bhawan, to assess the progress of infrastructure development and installation of advanced nursery systems.
A trial run of the Seedling Line Machine and Echo Mat Pot Machine was conducted to evaluate their operational efficiency.
The Director was accompanied by Joint Director Agriculture (SLUB/Farms) Jammu, Aman Jyoti Sharma; Agriculture Chemist, Vinod Kumar; Agronomist (VIS), Vikas Padha; Assistant Botanist, Ajeet Singh besides other senior officers and staff of Vegetable Improvement Scheme.
Agronomist (VIS), Vikas Padha briefed the Director Agriculture about the objectives and technical features of the Centre and demonstrated the functioning of the machines. The Seedling Line Machine ensures automated tray filling, precision seed sowing, watering and uniform compaction, while the Echo Mat Pot Machine produces biodegradable pots that promote healthy root development and minimize transplant shock.
It was informed that around 95 percent of the work of the Centre of Excellence has been completed and the facility will be shortly commissioned, with its formal inauguration expected by the end of February.
Being established under the NABARD RIDF-XXX scheme, the Centre shall house a state-of-the-art polycarbonate greenhouse spread over 3511 square meters with the capacity of producing nearly 75 lakhs high-quality vegetable and floriculture seedlings annually, significantly boosting agricultural productivity across the Jammu Division.
The Director Agriculture expressed satisfaction over the pace and quality of the ongoing works.
