Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Apr, 05
Launching Intensive Farmers’ Outreach Initiative, Director Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare, Jammu, K.K Sharma conducted field visit in Misriwala zone today to take stock of the field activities being undertaken by the department and on field interaction with the farmers.
Chief Agriculture Officer Jammu, A.S. Reen accompanied the Director during the visit.
Those present on the occasion included DDC member, Balbir Lal, Progressive Farmers, Ashok Mahajan, Pawan Singh, Rajinder Singh besides AEO Misriwala, Nirmal Sharma and other field functionaries.
Director, while inspecting the Hi Tech Poly GreenHouse spread over an area of 2000 sq Meter at village ShamaChak established under CAPEX, asked for area expansion under protected cultivation of high value vegetable crops to attract the rural youth towards Agri preneurship by making farming more remunerative.
Interacting with the farmers, K. K. Sharma stressed for promotion of Integrated/Organic/market oriented Farming utilizing latest technological interventions. He urged the farmers to organize themselves into Farmer Interest Groups (FIG) and Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) for enhancing their income through value addition, branding and better marketing linkages of their produce.
The Director passed on spot instructions to CAO Jammu to hold regular meetings with PRI members to formulate development oriented plans for welfare of farming community.
Member Kisan Advisory Board, S. Tejinder Singh Wazir, on the occasion sought immediate redressal of market related issues of organically produced high quality vegetables produced by the farmers. In this regard, the Director maintained that all out efforts are being made to provide direct marketing platforms to farmers for high returns.
Meanwhile, establishment of Gur (Jaggery) making unit (Balana) at Jhiri was also discussed with the farmers owing to sufficient availability of raw material (Sugarcane) in Jhiri, KannaChak and adjoining areas.
