Srinagar: To review the progress on the implementation of different centrally sponsored schemes in district Bandipora, Director Agriculture Kashmir Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal today paid a brief visit to the district particularly Seed Multiplication Farm Sumbal and recently established Vegetable Farm Bandipora. Director Agriculture took stock of different preparations for the upcoming sowing season. Director had an interaction with the concerned officers, farmers and other stakeholders of the district.
Speaking on the occasion Chowdhary Iqbal asked the concerned officers to ensure the maximum seedling requirement of different vegetable crops is met from departmental seed multiplication farms and the seedling is available well in time. He impressed upon the need to further streamline the working of departmental agriculture farms to meet much of the domestic seed/seedling requirement. He directed the officers to evolve an effective strategy to increase the in-house production of vegetable seedlings.
Director Agriculture reiterated department’s commitment to promote organic vegetable cultivation and highlighted the need to cut dependence on chemical fertilizers and shift towards sustainable alternatives like organic fertilizers and vermicompost.
Director Agriculture maintained the department is working to on a roadmap to add new dimensions /marketing options to vegetable sector as this has a great potential of employment generation and socio-economic transformation of the farming community.
Earlier Chief Agriculture Officer Bandipora briefed the Director about the progress and status of implementation of different centrally sponsored schemes in the district.
Later on Director Agriculture visited different departmental establishments including District Soil Testing Laboratory (where 7500 samples were analysed), Demonstration Cum Training Centre (Mushroom) (DCTC) Bandipora and had interaction with the concerned tec
Director was accompanied by Chief Agriculture Offficer, Bandipora Mujtaba Yahya,, Agriculture Information Officer, Sheikh Imran, Incharge Soil Laboratory Bandipora and other officers of the District.

KR Desk