Says Horticulture a game changer in UTs economy, job generation
SRINAGAR, MAY 5(KNB): Advisor to Lt Governor KK Sharma today held an extensive tour of Centre of Excellence (CoE) Zawoora Srinagar to review its functioning and also to initiatives being undertaken for propagation of Horticulture by way of new interventions.
Director Horticulture Kashmir Aijaz Ahmad Bhat and other senior officers of the department were present.
The Advisor held an extensive tour of the centre and inspected various terraces of high-density Apple orchard, plum orchard, apricot orchard and cherry orchard of improved varieties.
The Director Horticulture informed the Advisor that the centre is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 9.24 crore. The centre will have facilities for the production of high quality fruit plants, micro-irrigation, high-tech greenhouse technology, tissue culture labs, bio-control labs and weather forecasting station, besides facilities to analyze fruit diseases like scabies, leaf curl, brown rot, etc as well as training to the staff, he added.
The Advisor was told about the latest technologies of greenhouse for multiplication and high-density apple orchard with the latest technology to enhance productivity.
The Advisor also inspected walnut nursery established at an cost of Rs.4.98 crore for production of 20000 walnut grated plants for distribution among the farmers. He also inspected 20 high tech poly houses set up in the nursery
While interacting with the officers , the Advisor said that horticulture and its allied activities are the mainstays of the economy of Jammu and Kashmir by contributing largely to its GDP. He said that several initiatives have already been done in this sector so that it becomes a game changer in the economy of the UT ,besides also helping in generation of job avenues to the people especially the youth.(KNB)