Director Horticulture Kashmir, Gh Rasool Mir listened the grievances & demands of the farmers during an awareness programme today at Kokernag.
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Orchardists from different parts of the Kokernag Sub Division participated in the awareness programme and demanded establishing fruit Mandi, Walnut processing unit at Zalangam making FPOs, availability of better pesticides & fertilizers, soil health cards, farm machinery, besides doubling farmers income by bringing all the centrally sponsored schemes to the orchardists.
The director heard the Orchardists keenly and assured that their genuine demands would be addressed at the earliest.
He suggested encouraging youth for establishing different income generating unit in horticulture sector so that they become job providers instead of Jon seekers.
The Director stressed for following spray schedules of the department for better yields. He also stressed for close coordination between the orchardists and field staff of the department.
In the end the Director distributed appreciation certificates among orchardists & field staff of the department for their extraordinary services.
Among others present in the programme include SDM Kokernag, Chief Horticulture Officer Anantnag, Roshan Din Dar, President MC Kokernag, HDO Kokernag, SMC Anantnag Irshad Ahmad Khanday, besides HDOs of Bijbehara & Anantnag, PRIs & field staff of the department.
Later the Director made field visit of some of the Apple orchardis.