SRINAGAR: Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhury Mohammad Iqbal on Tuesday visited Seed Multiplication Farm (SMF) Harran Budgam and kick started the distribution of vegetable seedlings among the farmers of the area. He also took stock of various agriculture interventions that have been adopted by the said farm.

Speaking to the farmers, Director Agriculture expressed satisfaction for succeeding in providing early season seedling of different vegetable crops to the farming community. He said that they have already started the distribution of seedling at many places in the valley and in the coming days this process will continue across the region.

Director Agriculture said that the department is committed to provide quality planting material to the farmers. He directed the concerned officers to ensure that sufficient quantity of seedlings is provided to the farmers. He said that vegetable cultivation is now not only restricted to the rural areas but is gaining popularity in urban areas as well, therefore the department has to play a big role.

Director Agriculture said that valley wide seed distribution will continue in a phased manner. He said the demand for vegetable seedling is increasing as backyard farmers, kitchen garden lovers are increasing and this trend is encouraging for the overall development of the agriculture sector.

Earlier, the Farm Manager SM Farm Harran Javeed Hussian Malik informed the Director about various interventions, innovations that are being adopted by the technical experts during the seedling production process at the farm.

Later, the Director Agriculture visited S M Gangbugh Srinagar and toured different blocks of the farm. The Farm Manager Altaf Ahmed Bhat gave a detailed presentation on various agriculture activities at the farm.

The Director during the visit was accompanied by Seed Production Officer Syed Ishtiyaq Ahmed and other senior officers of the department.

KR Desk