Consultative meeting on Clean Plants Program held at SKUAST-K

Srinagar, Jan 27: A team of officials from Asian Development Bank, US Experts from ADB side, members from Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, GOI and National Horticulture Board visited SKUAST-Kashmir on Friday to discuss modalities for formulation of Clean Plants Program.
On the occasion, a Stakeholders Consultative meeting on Clean Plants Program (CPP) was held at Shalimar campus wherein Scientists from Division of Fruit Science, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Director Horticulture, Scientists from Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture and representatives from various nurseries in J&K participated in the meeting.
The team was briefed by Dr. Sarfaraz A. Wani, Director Research about the clean plants program and its importance for J&K.
It was followed by threadbare discussion with various stakeholders wherein detailed discussion was held on the current scenario of nurseries in J&K, its future prospects and how Clean Plants Program could change the way we propagate fruit plants.
A detailed Power point presentation was made by Professor Ashaq Pandit of Division of Fruit Science who outlined the way-forward for establishing Clean Plants Centre in SKUAST-Kashmir and how it would cater to the needs of valley nursery growers.
Dr. Javid Iqbal, Sr. Scientist from CITH also gave a brief presentation about the CPP program.
Director Horticulture, Director CITH also highlighted the role of their respective departments in providing quality planting material to the growers.
Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Nazir Ahmed Ganie, who chaired the meeting thanked various stake-holders especially NHB and ADB for conducting the meeting in SKUAST-K and assured all the requisite support to the group.
Dr. Ganai highlighted the importance of Clean Plants Program and mentioned the role CPP could play in ushering a new era of development in horticulture sector in the UT especially in the production of quality planting material and meeting international standards of quality planting material.
The group will have a national Consultative workshop on January 30 and 31 in New Delhi to formulate Project on CPP in order to ensure access to disease free planting material for global competitiveness of Indian Horticulture Sector.