KVK Ganderbal’s ‘Grape Day’ event promotes grape cultivation

Ganderbal, Aug 14: The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Ganderbal organised a “Grape Day” event on Wednesday at Repora B, highlighting the importance and potential of grape cultivation in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. The event took place in the grape fields of progressive farmers, Abdul Rahim Bhat and Gh Mohammad Bhat.
Dr Ishfaq Abidi, Chief Scientist and Head of KVK Ganderbal, chaired the event, where he discussed the future prospects of grape cultivation and its potential impact on the fruit economy of J&K. He informed the participating farmers about the value chain opportunities in grape farming, the off-season market demand, and the importance of cultivating perishable grape varieties. Dr Abidi highlighted the goal of transforming the Repora area into the grape capital of the Union Territory.
One of the key discussions during the event was the success of On-Farm Trials (OFTs) conducted by KVK Ganderbal on addressing Hen & Chicken disorders in grapes, which yielded promising results. Dr Abidi urged farmers to adopt the complete package of practices recommended by the University to enhance grape production.
Farmers at the event expressed their appreciation for the efforts of the KVK Ganderbal team in reviving grape cultivation in Repora. They showed interest in integrating vineyard farming with poultry, a strategy aligned with the government’s vision of doubling farmers’ income and transforming the nation into a developed country by 2047.
The event saw the participation of various stakeholders, including staff from KVK, the Chief Horticulture Officer, the Horticulture Development Officer, the Assistant Marketing Officer, and Inspectors from the Horticulture Planning & Marketing (HPM) department.
Dr S.N. Qureshi, the program coordinator and Subject Matter Specialist (Horticulture), discussed the productivity challenges faced by grape farmers and provided valuable insights to address these issues. Dr. Rafiya Munshi, Scientist (Home Science), and Dr. F.A. Ahangher, Subject Matter Specialist (Plant Protection), educated participants on post-harvest management and disease control strategies to improve harvest outcomes.
Additionally, Azhar Vakil from Horticulture Planning & Marketing and HDO Tej Bahadur Singh informed farmers about various government schemes available to support the expansion and strengthening of grape farming in the region.