Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, Oct 21: Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Culture Raman Bhalla today asked the officers of Horticulture Department to make efforts in educating the fruit and vegetable growers about the benefits expected under Horticulture Sector.
This was stated by the Minister while addressing a large gathering of fruit and vegetable growers after inaugurating Fruit Exhibition-cum -awareness camp at Sanyog Palace in Reasi district, here today. MLA Baldev Raj Sharma, District Development Commissioner Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Director Horticulture Anil Kumar Sharma, Chief Horticulture Officer Sushil Kumar Chatta and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
About 35 stalls of allied sectors were setup for demonstrating quality of fruits and their species production, fisheries, agricultural crops, Animals & Sheep Husbandry potential, sericulture and promotion of other allied sectors by concerted efforts of Government functionaries in coordination with progressive farmers. About 8000 growers from all corner of the district participated in the camp. The growers were imparted latest technical knowhow during the day long technical session.
Mr Bhalla asked the officers to explore new markets with all infrastructural facilities to promote state’s horticulture produce across the country. He called upon the fruit and vegetables growers to avail the benefit of schemes like Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, National Mission on Micro Irrigation and Agriculture Technology Management Agency. The Minister said Government was endeavoring a lot to ncourage farmers for plantation of high-quality fruit trees to fetch optimum returns. He asked to make all the departmental nurseries fully functional and plant high quality fruit plants for better production of state’s produce.
The Minister directed the officers to provide hi-yielding varieties of plants to the farmers and said that there will be no compromise on quality of the material being provided to the needy persons. He said that attention is required to be focused both on the production of quality horticulture produce and its proper export to the terminal and satellite markets ensuring substantial returns to the fruit growers.
Mr. Bhalla asked the officers to issue notices to those who sublet the allotted shops in mandis to others for establishment of dhabas, tea stalls etc. He asked for enquiry into the matter and cancel such allotments and allot the same for fruit and vegetable markets.
Maintaining that Jammu division has great potential of horticulture produce, Mr. Bhalla advised the farmers to switchover to cash crops like mangoes, Amla, Alo-vera, guava, lemon galgal, kimb, quince, olive and strawberry instead of traditional crops, adding that these crops have great demand in the market. He said Government also provides attractive incentives for the promotion of horticulture and people should come in a big way to avail these benefits and to help Government in enhancing the GDP rate of the State.
Later, the Minister along with MLA and DDC Reasi also inspected the ongoing construction works of Apni Mandi, to be developed on 8 kanal of proposed land at an estimated cost of Rs. 13.50 lakh. He asked the executing agency to speed up the project so that the fruit and vegetable marketers could avail the benefit of the space. He said the proposed Apni Mandi would be developed with platforms, toilet block and auction shed.
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