Shopian: In view of spring fall and start of new year horticulture chores, director horticulture Kashmir, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat visited Shopian took stock of works, department nurseries and held a meeting with department officials.
Aijaz Ahmad Bhat also visited horticulture nursery at Badamibagh of Batpora Shopian where he kick started the fresh plantation of the year 2019 by planting a tree in the nursery. He on the occasion said that district Shopian acts as a backbone of Kashmir economy through its horticulture products.
Director, Bhat stressed the forwarding orchardists and Horticulture officials to make people aware about the high density apple brands for more and more plantation of high density apple orchards. He also stressed on production of grafted walnuts in the region since the walnut is heading towards extinction in the valley. He said by producing grafted walnut tress, the sector can be saved.
Bhat advised the officers to intensify the market checking of pesticides, fertilizers so that a common farmer could not get trapped in the net of those selling Spurious fertilizers and pesticides. “By conducting frequent market checking, we can stop the sale of substandard material as well as can pave a way for the better development of horticulture sector,” he said.
Director horticulture added that the nurseries would be modified on modern and technical formats so that people can get benifitted from them. He also advised the people/orchardists to get benifitted from the department by availing the plants from horticulture department nurseries as well as from the government registered nurseries who were playing a vital role in import and export of horticulture products. “The plants in horticulture department remain in quarantine facilities for more than a year and all the aspects like survival, diseases resistance and fruit set is being checked by the scientists there and after that the product is being given to the people so that is why we suggest people to take plants from government nurseries to avoid problems and get prosper,”he said.
Bhat, the director said that people must remain in contact with horticulture experts for expertise advices including spray schedule, fertilizers, irrigation, pruning and other purposes.
Bhat, at Zainpora where Asia’s largest farm is situated told the officials and field employees to work hard for the development of sector by producing world class apple brands. He said that the Zainpora farm can it self play a revolutionary role as far the horticulture sector of Kashmir is concerned. He also took the stock of men and mschinary there and assured all the required facilities will be made available for the farm so that it would function best.
Several senior andb district level officals were accompanying director horticulture to the areas where he visited the ongoing department works. He also stressed for the plantation of high density apple brands which can fetch more earnings to the people as well as the products can compete at international levels.
