Beerwah, July 9 (JKNS): The Horticulture Department Budgam on Thursday organised a District-Level Mega Awareness Camp at Town Hall, Beerwah under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) Scheme 2026–27, with the objective of educating farmers, orchardists and aspiring young entrepreneurs about modern horticulture practices, government welfare schemes, financial assistance and emerging opportunities in the sector.
The awareness programme witnessed the participation of MLA Beerwah Dr. Mohammad Shafi Wani as the Chief Guest. Among those present were Chief Horticulture Officer Budgam Ms. Shafiqa Khalid, Tehsildar Beerwah Alia Tabassum, senior horticulture officers, departmental experts, progressive orchardists, growers and a large number of farmers from different parts of Budgam district.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Mohammad Shafi Wani lauded the Horticulture Department for organising the awareness programme, stating that such initiatives play a vital role in equipping farmers with scientific knowledge, modern cultivation techniques and information about government-sponsored schemes. He said that horticulture and agriculture form the backbone of Beerwah’s economy and that strengthening these sectors would significantly enhance farmers’ incomes while contributing to the region’s overall economic development.
He urged farmers to adopt scientific orchard management practices, embrace modern horticulture technologies and make optimum use of various government schemes to improve productivity, fruit quality and profitability. He remarked that the enthusiastic participation of farmers in the programme reflected their confidence in the department’s initiatives and its commitment towards the welfare of the farming community.
Dr. Wani congratulated the Chief Horticulture Officer, departmental officers, field staff and all organisers for successfully conducting the event. He also expressed gratitude to the Minister for Horticulture, the district administration and all concerned authorities for their continued support towards the development of the horticulture sector.
Sharing his personal experience, the MLA said he has remained associated with horticulture for many years and regularly encourages young people to explore the sector by taking them to his own high-density apple orchard, where they can observe modern cultivation practices and understand the employment and income opportunities generated through scientific horticulture. He said that the remarkable success of high-density orchards in districts like Shopian and Pulwama demonstrates their transformative economic potential and expressed confidence that Beerwah possesses similar prospects for growth.
He also appealed to the media to actively disseminate information regarding government horticulture schemes, modern technologies and farmer-friendly initiatives so that more beneficiaries can avail themselves of these opportunities. Dr. Wani further informed that four industrial locations have already been identified for the establishment of cold storage facilities, which would help reduce post-harvest losses, improve storage infrastructure and create employment opportunities for local youth.
During the technical session, horticulture experts delivered detailed presentations on modern orchard management, high-density plantation, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), post-harvest management and various financial assistance and subsidy provisions available under Central and Jammu & Kashmir Government horticulture schemes. Farmers actively…
