VC calls for cohesive disease, pest management programme in fruit crops to weed out spurious chemicals from market

Srinagar: The 38thStanding Evaluation Committee was held under the Chairmanship of Prof. Nazir AhmadGanai, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-Kashmir to deliberate and discuss evaluation report of various agro-chemicals and devise/recommend Plant Protection Schedule 2022 for management of various diseases, insects and pests in apple crop.
The meeting was attended by Director Extension, Director General Horticulture, Director Agriculture, District Chief Horticulture / Agriculture Officers from line department, Dean Faculty of Agriculture, Scientists and Heads of KVKs.
A warm welcome was given to Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai on his taking over as Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-K. Before a brief about the importance of Agro-Chemical Evaluation Programme and its utility in screening of various molecules was presented by Dr.Sarfraz A Wani Director Research. Prof. Wani emphasised that this prestigious programme shall be further refined to improve the applicability of identified pesticides/ fungicides in future.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad appreciated the role of Directorate of Horticulture and his entire team in carrying forward recommendations of the University to the end users to boost horticulture production in the entire Kashmir region. Prof. Ahmad impressed upon the field functionaries and KVK Scientists of the University to undertake and educate farmers on various orchard management practices to improve productivity and reduce future losses due to any inclement weather conditions.
He further informed the House that a cohesive programme for disease and pest management in apple and other fruit crops be carried out to weed out spurious insecticides/pesticides/fungicides in collaboration with Horticulture and Enforcement Directorate, Kashmir. Director General Horticulture desired that the meeting should be conducted quarterly to put forth cohesive recommendations for end users.
The University scientists should see the biology of every pest for the safety of the human being. The House was apprised about indiscriminate use of chemicals by the farmers and measures suggested to overcome its ill effects on environment and human health with focus on clean cultivation and organic / natural farming. Director Agriculture assured the house that proper mechanisms should be put in place to make available the best products for welfare of the Horticulture industry.
Tentative Plant Protection Schedule 2022 was presented for the approval of the House and it was decided that a Sub-Committee under the Chairmanship of Director Research will finalise and submit the schedule after taking care of all legal and technical issues for final approval by competent authority.
The meeting was conducted after strictly following all SOPs under COVID-19.

KR Desk