Bhaderwah: Director Agriculture Jammu, Arvinder Singh Reen conducted an extensive tour of District Doda Monday to review the ongoing agricultural initiatives and interact with farmers and entrepreneurs. He was accompanied by Chief Agriculture Officer Doda, Amjad Hussain Malik and other field officers during the visit.
The tour commenced with a visit to the Herbal Garden at Sungli, Bhaderwah, where the Director Agriculture inspected the cultivation and conservation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs). He shared his insights on the potential of MAPs in improving farmers’ income. He asked the officials to strengthen conservation and promote commercial cultivation to unlock the huge potential of MAPs.
Later, the Director visited the paddy fields to inspect the ongoing transplantation phase. He appreciated a farmer Rakesh Kumar at Village Dhareja for preserving heritage farming techniques, while integrating modern tools. He also inspected the Hi-Tech Polyhouse established under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) by beneficiary Tauqeer Ahmed. The Director hailed the farmer for cultivation of exotic vegetables under protected conditions by using advanced techniques.
Continuing his field tour, the Director Agriculture attended a Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA) programme at Village Bhalra, Pranoo, where he interacted with local farmers. He emphasized the critical role of scientific and modern agricultural practices, particularly for the Kharif season, to boost yields, improve efficiency and ensure climate resilience in agriculture.
At Village Manwah, Zone Bhalra, inspected the Oil Extraction Unit of Rajat Raina, appreciating the entrepreneurial initiative and the importance of value addition of agri-based produce in rural areas.
In addition, the Director Agriculture attended the Valedictory Function of Lavender Festival 2025, organized by CSIR-IIIM Jammu at Government Degree College Bhaderwah.
