Ganderbal, May 11: Ajaz Ahmad Bhat (IAS), Director Sericulture J&K, today undertook a very significant tour of Ganderbal in order to inspect and asses the progress of various technical operations of the department in the District which include availability of mulberry foliage in Mulberry Farms and Nurseries across the District, synchronization of silkworm seed, incubation and silkworm rearing operations, besides, reaching out to far flung and tribal areas of the District.
Bhat, during his visit to various key facilities of the Department in the District he inspected Mulberry Blocks and Chawki Rearing Centers at Ganiwan and Guzhama, Ganderbal.
Speaking on the occasion the Director informed that the Chawki Rearing and Incubation centers located in the District play a crucial role in the hatching of Chawki Silkworms for subsequent distribution among silkworm rearers and farmers in the District.
Continuing his tour he also inspected ongoing construction works on beneficiary-oriented silkworm rearing houses. He further said that in District Ganderbal the Department maintains 10 Mulberry Farms/Blocks and 02 Mulberry Nurseries spanning over an area of 445 Kanals of land. These facilities play a pivotal role in producing high-quality Mulberry Plants annually, which are distributed among farmers and plantation on State/Community land. This initiative aims to create mulberry leaf reserves in abundance for Silkworm Rearers / Farmers, besides, landless and marginal farmers in the region.
The Director’s itinerary also included a visit to Mulberry Nurseries/Farms at Yachama, where he scrutinized the F1 Double Hybrid Silkworm Seed Incubation Centre and assessed the rearing houses of silkworm rearers supported by funds released under the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP).
During his interaction with silkworm rearers, Farmers and youth he emphasized the paramount importance of maintaining quality standards, careful and serious approach during Mulberry Plantation, Silkworm Rearing, handling of cocoons, reeling and weaving practices.
