Srinagar, Aug 24: The newly-formed Horticulture and Agriculture Committee of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference convened its inaugural meeting here to discuss matters pertaining to this sector.
The meeting was chaired by the party’s senior leader and North Zone President Javed Dar, and was attended by the committee members Muhammad Khalil Bandh, Qaisar Jamsheed Lone, Abdul Majeed Bhat Larmi, Saif-ud-Din Bhat, Showkat Hussain Ganaie, Mudassar Shahmiri, Khawaja Yaqoob Wani, Hilal Akbar Lone, Reyaz Khan, Irshad Kar and Sheikh Gayas Ud Din.
“The issues concerning the horticulture and agriculture sectors were discussed threadbare during the breadth of the meeting. The committee participants shared their valuable insights and recommendations during the meeting. They discussed various issues including the costly and subpar availability of fertilizers and pesticides, the elevated expenses linked to packaging materials and transportation, the competitive challenges posed by fruits from Himachal Pradesh and international sources like Iran,” the party said in a statement.
Other topics covered encompassed labelling and tagging fruits from other states, addressing the scarcity of high-density fruit trees to match the surging demands of cultivators, improving the insufficient irrigation and cold storage facilities, establishing crop insurance scheme, and setting up Kisan Call Centers and Krishi Vigyan Centers to offer timely information and guidance to farmers, the statement said.
The discussion also involved the lack of public awareness about novel schemes, programs, and effective management techniques such as pruning, grafting, spraying, and proper fertilization and irrigation methods in orchards, the NC said, adding that the meeting highlighted the importance of involving the horticulture department, scientists, technicians, and gardeners at the village level, as well as the preservation of traditional planting approaches and methodologies.
