Says educated farmers can bring changes
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, May 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lauded a farmer from Srinagar district for his exceptional work in the organic farming sector and appealed to the farmers to do more in the sector by employing various available technologies.
Khursheed Ahmad Reshi, a Post Graduate in English and hailing from the Tengpora area of Srinagar in his interaction with the PM as a PM Kisan beneficiary was appreciated for his work that he has been in organic farming over the years.
“I wish you Eid Mubarak and I have been told that you are a PG and that’s inspiring. Youngsters watching you today will be more attracted towards farming today,” the PM said.
Modi while talking to him said that his courage and dedication was exemplary and asked him to continue his work in the sector for the overall betterment.
“It is indeed exemplary because after giving so many years to the education, you finally decided to go for farming and that’s inspiring. Otherwise, one remains in a dilemma of what to do and what not to after so many years of education; keeping all the odds at bay, you have chosen for yourself and that’s quite inspiring,” the PM said.
He added that when educated farmers work in an organised way then the results are always inspiring. “And that what is in front of us today. I want you to carry on with your efforts,” PM said.
Khursheed told the PM that he has got 26 kanals of land, out of which 12 have been dedicated for paddy cultivation and 14 kanals for organic vegetables.
“The traditional farming did not yield much and that’s why I shifted towards organic farming. I tried to look for a job and when I failed, I dedicated myself to farming,” he told the PM
He told PM that after that he contacted the Agriculture Department, Kashmir and took training in farming. “Then I started organic farming. And right now I grow capsicum, brinjal, cucumber and green chillies,” he informed the PM
When asked by the PM about the help provided by the Government, he informed the PM that he has made an FPO of 30 farmers in the area and the entire produce is collected at one place for further to be marketed by the department.
“…the Agriculture Department has put in service a refrigerating van which then collects it and takes it to Lal Mandi where there is an organic vegetables’ market which has been made functional by the department,” he told the PM
Later, while talking to Excelsior, Khursheed said that he was very happy for his brief interaction with the PM regarding the work that he has been doing and that it will push him to do more in the sector. “Such events do inspire and that’s what has happened today,” he said.
In his message to the youngsters, Khursheed said that people should strive to provide employment rather than becoming job seekers “and for that the farming and particularly the organic farming is the best option,” he said.
Notably, the Tengpora area which is the native village of Khursheed produces around 30 per cent of the vegetables that are produced in the city. “Majority of farmers are doing the mixture of traditional as well as the organic farming because it gives the production in less time and is clean for the environment,” he said.
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