Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 15: Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Housing Raman Bhalla today inaugurated ‘District Level Fruit Show-cum-Seminar’ in the premises of Model School, Satwari.
District Development Commissioner Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Director Horticulture Anil Kumar Sharma, Sarpanchs, Panchs besides Chief Horticulture Officers and District Horticulture Officers of Jammu district were present on the occasion.
The fruit show organized by Horticulture Department under Horticulture Mission witnessed participation of a large number of farmers, functionaries of District Administration and representatives of various political parties.
As many as 40 stalls of Fisheries, Agriculture, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Sericulture, ISM and other allied sectors were set up in the fruit show.
Addressing the farmers, Bhalla asked the concerned functionaries to make every effort to tap horticulture potential in the area by supplying high yielding fruit trees to the farmers. He also called for creating awareness among the farmers about the incentives being offered under various horticulture schemes.
The Minister lauded the efforts of Horticulture Department for conducting such type of awareness camps to provide requisite information about scientific methods of fruit cultivation. He stressed on organizing more such camps in other blocks of the district.
Mr. Bhalla said that the farmers were being motivated to use modern technology to improve their yield and stressed for close coordination between horticulture officers and farmers to achieve desired results. He further announced that efforts are on to construct cold storage plant and fruit processing units with an objective to give boost to this sector on large scale.
The Minister stressed upon mechanization and diversification in farming to make it a profitable business. He said that the diesel ploughs have been introduced for the first time in hilly areas of the State which is showing good results. He said micro-irrigation is being introduced and orchardists are provided with quality planting material for raising new orchards. He said that the drip-irrigation system has been introduced in water stressed areas.
Earlier, Sarpanchs and progressive farmers also spoke on the occasion and shared their experience about the fruit cultivation. They stressed the need for introduction of high yielding fruit plants.
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