Srinagar, Apr 11: Director Extension SKUAST-K, Prof. Mohammad Makhdoomi on Tuesday said that the university has revived the traditional rice variety Mushq budij at Anantnag in South Kashmir and Keran in Kupwara.
As the paddy sowing season would be started soon, he said that the agriculture university has developed many varieties of seeds but not all of them had the desired outcome.
Over a period of time, a number of rice varieties suitable for high as well as low altitude situation, resistant to lodging, diseases and pests have been developed and the full potential of these varieties can be exploited when recommended packages of practices are adopted.
“We have also created a rice variety Shalimar rice-4, which has a productivity level of 10 tons per hectare as it is three times more productive than any national variety. We also introduced Kashmir’s Basmati rice called Shalimar Sugand,” he said.
Makhdoomi said SKUAST-K has been working for the revival of old and forgotten varieties like Mushq budij which was extinct and has worked hard for its preservation.
“We have introduced it and preserved the gene of Mushq Budij. We have revived in Anantnag and Keran sector. The farmers have also received an award of Rs 10 lakh for its promotion,” he said.
Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Muhammad Iqbal said the government has initiated key reforms in the agriculture sector as a matter of policy to elevate socio-economic conditions of farmers and is attempting to make them entrepreneurs par excellence.
“The cultivation of age-old traditional varieties of paddy like K-39, Chinese 1039, 1007, etc. has been successfully replaced with the high yielding varieties like SR-2, SR-3, SR-4 and SR-5 which has substantially increased the yield of paddy to the extent of 80 quintals per hectare and has maximized the farmer income,” the director said.
