Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, July 13: Minister for Horticulture Syed Basharat Bukhari today called on Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Radha Mohan Singh and discussed various issues pertaining to the overall welfare of the fruit industry of J&K.
The meeting was attended by Union Secretary for Horticulture, Secretary Horticulture J&K, M H Malik and other senior officers.
During the meeting, Bukhari proposed that there should be a Horticulture University in Kashmir that will further help in boosting this sector in the State. The Union Minister assured that financial assistance would soon be provided for establishment of Horticulture University in Kashmir.
Minister said that the State Government should start the process of establishment of the Horticulture University and the Centre will provide the necessary financial and other related support.
Bukhari also asked for taking necessary measures for deletion of 1-MCP from the Insecticide Act of 1968 in order to allow the J&K Govt to generate/ manufacture the product based on the molecule to enhance the shelf life of the fruit produced in the State especially the apple for use in orchards and Controlled-Atmosphere-Stores. Union Minister directed the officers to fix a meeting in order to take a decision in this regard.
During the meeting, the Minister further discussed with Union Minister for placement of permanent space for exhibiting activity and promotion of marketing horticulture produce of the State. On this, the Union Minister said that the Government is establishing Agriculture Haat at Pusa where State will be given due space.
On demand of the State Minister, the Union Minister also gave direction to his officials to come up with a concept proposal to arrest the irregular rates of fungicides, insecticides and other related molecules in market so that the farming community will get benefited at the large scale.
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