Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Sept 23: Director Horticulture Jammu Ram Savak today inaugurated one-day mega farmers’ awareness cum interaction programme in the office complex of Chief Horticulture Office Poonch.
Director Horticulture Jammu was the chief guest of the event, which was organized by Chief Horticulture Officer (CHO) Poonch Sanjeev Karlupia. The Director was accompanied by Managing Director, Indo-Dutch Horticulture Technologies Sudhir Chadha while DDC Vice Chairperson Mohd Ashfaq and Ex MLC Jahangir Mir were the guests of honour on the occasion wherein more than 300 progressive orchardists/farmers including women participated. HDOs of all the Horticulture Zones along with field functionaries of the Department were also present on the occasion.
Addressing a large gathering of farmers/fruit growers, the Director stressed the need to encourage Modified High Density Plantation in the area and adopt cluster approach to establish new orchards. He impressed upon the women participants to come forward, adopt fruit and vegetable preservation as a profession and establish new preservation and dry fruit processing units under the PMFME scheme, with more than 50% financial assistance from the Department.
The Director also deliberated on Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, (AIF) which aims at providing a financing facility through interest subvention and credit guarantee support on loans for creation of post harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets.
While speaking on the occasion, Sudhir Chadha focused on the Modified Ultra High Density Plantation and about ways and means to uplift Horticulture in district Poonch which has very great potential. He said that it is a pleasure for him to help farmers in every regard related to the plantation of establishment of UHD orchards.
Earlier, CHO Poonch briefed the Director Horticulture about the status of various ongoing works in the District.
Later, the Director Horticulture distributes sanctions for establishment of processing units and other components under different departmental schemes to the beneficiaries. He also distributes certificates to the women entrepreneurs for completing successfully one month training programme in fruit and vegetable preservation.
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