Jammu, Jan 20: A seed distribution program and interactive workshop on the production and crop management of marigold and other commercial floricultural crops were organized as part of the CSIR Floriculture Mission at CSIR – Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu.
A total of 150 farmers from various zones of Jammu participated in the day-long program, receiving technical skills and training on scientific crop production and management of marigold and other floricultural crops. The farmers were also provided with quality seed material of high-yielding marigold varieties.
The chief guest, Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Director CSIR IIIM Jammu, addressed the farmers, scientists from CSIR IIIM, SKUAST Jammu, and officers from the Agriculture Department Jammu. He highlighted the significant work being done under the Mission, contributing to the growth of the commercial floriculture sector in the UT. This, in turn, has increased income generation for farmers and created opportunities for startups and agri-based entrepreneurs in commercial floriculture.
Dr Shahid Rasool, Nodal Scientist of the Mission, stressed the importance of adopting advanced scientific and technological approaches for achieving quality crop yields. He informed the farmers that CSIR Floriculture Mission is actively supporting them for enhanced income generation and gainful employment opportunities. “Efforts are being made to create a crop production calendar ensuring the availability of marigold flowers throughout the year, leveraging the variability in the agro-climatic conditions of the UT to tap into the large market for marigold,” he said.
Prominent Floriculturist and Member J&K Kissan Advisory Board, Tejinder Singh Wazir, appreciated the efforts made under CSIR Floriculture Mission. He mentioned that the flowers produced by the farmers have substantially substituted the volume of marigold flowers imported from other regions. Last season, marigold flowers worth Rs 5 crores were sold by the farmers benefiting from the Mission.
In the technical sessions, presentations were made on various aspects, including nursery production of crops, production technology of marigold, use of bio-control agents in crop production, and insect pest control in marigold.
