Farmers discuss issues faced due to impact of COVID

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 28: Various representatives of farmers’ bodies and farmer producers’ organisation met through video conferencing to assess the impact of COVID on agriculture. They also discussed various challenges faced by the community and action taken by the Agriculture Production Department and Animal Husbandry Department. The meeting was organised under the leadership of Tajinder Singh president, Kissan Council.
Farmers expressed their confidence over the role of the Agriculture Production Department and said that it was due to proactive and timely jointly coordination of department and farmers’ leaders that 100 combine harvesters have reached Jammu province for harvesting of wheat .
It said for harvesting passes are available for moments of machines and operators and dairy entrepreneurs. The department created post at Lakhanpur Border to assist farmers and smooth transition of machinery. But farmers still have to face lots of problems due to closure of spare parts in Jammu and DM Jammu is not issuing any order for opening of the same.
The farmers bodies while expressing their satisfaction over the functioning of the present Agricultural Production and Animal Husbandry Commissioner who it said has taken many proactive steps in personally monitoring every activity round the clock for the welfare of farmers . Various aspects of doubling farmers income up to 2022,mushroom production for youth livelihood, integrated farming, value addition of agriculture products etc. The meeting said it is for the first time in the history of JK that rate of milk has been discussed by any Commissioner to stop the distress sale of milk. Novel idea is created for sale of milk through Social Welfare Department for Anganwadies. But it needs to be executed on ground and the need of the hours is that these directives should be implemented fully and even extended so that the chain of continuity of good work is not halted or stopped in agriculture so that the target of doubling farmers’ income is achieved by 2022.
The farmers bodies attending the meeting where JK Kissan Council, Koushal Jammu Milk Producers Co Limited, Kalakote, Dhanshree Agro Tech, Chib Agrotech, Santosh Janak Dairy Farm were present in the meeting.

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