120 Progressive farmers of Srinagar flagged off for exposure visit

Srinagar: To acquaint farmers with latest technology and agricultural knowhow, a group of 120 progressive farmers of district Srinagar were flagged off for one day exposure visit by Director Agriculture Kashmir Syed Altaf Aijaz Andrabi.
While interacting with the visiting farmer’s, the director said they should learn by heart the latest technologies and should replicate it in their fields for increasing their production and income. The program is being organised under Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) scheme. Farmers will be visiting CITH (Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture).
Later Director convened a review meeting for developmental activities and flagship programs being undertaken by the department.
On this occasion, Director Agriculture said the department is, going to develop value edition centres at all district headquarters at a cost of Rs 10 crores each, where post-harvest management practices will be carried out for surplus vegetable to increase the economy of farmers. One such big processing unit will be taken up at Lalmandi Srinagar during the current year.
He also said for interest of vegetable growers who are producing high value vegetable seeds, incentives @ 150/kg of seed will be provide to them by the government. The Seed Certification Agency was instructed to certify these seeds.
Director Instructed that every district head quarter will get one mushroom development centre. Further, he said incentives would be provided to the farmers for migration of their Apiculture colonies during the winter season.
Andrabi Instructed the concerned officers for speeding up the procurement process of high-value rice varieties such as Muskhbudji and Red Rice (ZAG). He insisted upon the Officers for developing a transparent and accountable mechanism at the grass root level. All the Chief Agriculture Officers were instructed to make 100% expenditure in all schemes and flagship programs.
Director said the department is committed to provide the paddy harvesters and threshers on subsidized costs to the farmers during the coming agriculture season to save labour component and time.
Joint Director Agriculture Inputs Deepak Kuchroo, Project Coordinator Mushrooms AvinashChander Peer, all Chief Agriculture Officers and Divisional Officers were also present.