Agriculture Department Kashmir in collaboration with SKUAST-K to promote aromatic and medicinal plants in Kashmir//
Ganderbal/ 17-03-2022/ Vice Chancellor Sheri Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K) Dr. Nazir Ahmad Ganai and Director Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Department Kashmir Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal today visited Floriculture Development Farm Nunar Ganderbal.
Visiting dignitaries inspected different blocks of the farm and were briefed by the concerned technical officers about different ornamental, medicinal plants grown in the farm and various latest interventions taken up by the department for the development and commercialization of these crops.
Pertinent to mention Floriculture Development Farm Nunar is special Agriculture Farm for the propagation and development of ornamental and medicinal plants.
While expressing his views Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K Dr. Nazir Ahmad Ganai assured the department of every possible technical support and guidance during the endeavour of promotion of ornamental and medicinal plants in the region. He said SKUAST-K in collaboration with Department of Agriculture Kashmir will work out a plan to explore different opportunities for the promotion of Floriculture sector. VC said that varsity would put in all efforts so that the real time interventions could be incorporated in the cultivation of ornamental and medicinal plants in Kashmir Division. He said the introduction of latest techniques during the cultivation of ornamental and medicinal plants in Kashmir Division would play a vital role in the development of floriculture sector.
Speaking on the occasion Director Agriculture Kashmir Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal highlighted the economic importance of ornamental and medicinal in the overall agriculture economic eco system. He said there is a huge potential to grab in this sector. Iqbal further said that the department in collaboration with SKUAST- K would devise a road map for strengthening this sector in the region. The cultivation of ornamental and medicinal on commercial lines and participation of educated youth in this allied wing could help in the socio economic transformation of concerned farming community He added. A joint technical committee of SKUAST-K and AP&FWD Kashmir was also constituted so that the proposed cropping plan could be finalized in a stipulated time frame. The technical committee would also look into the technical issues for a successful cultivation season of ornamental and medicinal plants in the region.
Later on Director Agriculture visited oilseed growing areas of district Ganderbal which has been brought under the Nation Mission on Edible Oils this year. Department has brought new areas in all the districts of the valley to enhance the oilseed production from the region and Director Agriculture has been monitoring the entire endeavour.
During the visit the dignitaries were accompanied by Director Research Dr. Sarfaraz, Chief Agriculture Officer Ganderbal Aijaz Hussain, Floriculture Development officer Kashmir Mohd Iqbal Khan and other senior scientists of SKUAST-K and officers of the Department.
