PAMPORE: Minister of State Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, Kailash Chaudhry on Friday visited Indian International Kashmir Saffron Trade Center Dusoo Pampore in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
He held a meeting with officers to review status of various centrally sponsored schemes and also held interactions with saffron growers and other delegations.
Talking to Kashmir Reader, he said that the Saffron of Kashmir is world famous.
” To support cultivation of saffron and how saffron farmers will be benefited, a meeting was held today,” Kailash Chaudhry told, adding that interactions were held with farmers and youth.
He added that FPOs will be formed in Jammu and Kashmir like other parts of the country.
” During the meeting formation of FPOs was also discussed,” he said.
He added that the FPOs will empower farmers and that by empowering farmers our country will progress.
He told Kashmir Reader that after formation of Indian International Kashmir Saffron Trade Center saffron farmers became more informed and they started exporting saffron to different countries of the world.
He said that he was happy to hear from saffron farmers that their income has increased in recent years.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a vision for doubling the income of farmers.
He said for government of India agriculture is a priority.
” The budget has been increased six folds compared to the budget in 2013,” he said, adding that farmers are taking benefit of various schemes and agriculture infrastructure fund.
He said that future will be a golden period for agriculture.
Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Baseer-Ul-Haq Choudhary, SSP Awantipora Mohammad Yousuf, Director Horticulture, Director Agriculture, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Awantipora Zaffar Husson Shawl, Additional Deputy Commissioner Tral Shabir Ahmad Raina, Saffron growers association president Abdul Majeed Wani, Gujjar and Bakerwal Confrence General Secretary Choudhary Mohammad Yaseen Poswal, progressive farmer , Kissan Advisory Board member Irshad Ahmad Dar, DDC member Advocate Minha Lateef, besides growers, progressive farmers and other concerned officers were also present on the occasion.

BILAL HABIB