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| Measures to boost horticulture in the state | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, JUNE 21 : NC-led government has decided to take in hand multi-dimensional and multi-directional measures for not only increasing the production in the horticulture sector but also introduce new varieties of different fruits in the state. Official sources said that emphasis was being laid on cultivation of early maturing fruits, especially apples and pears so that usual losses to fruit crop owing to the weather vagaries are minimized. According to the experts in the Horticulture Department, orchard productivity in Jammu and Kashmir can be improved by providing root stock for high density plantation from the departmental nurseries as also by encouraging the private nurseries to join in this effort. The initiative taken by the government is showing encouraging results.
Availability of root stocks and planting material in the current year was expected to increase by more than 60 per cent experts said adding that if the Department was able to achieve the target, fruit production in the state could witness 25 per cent increase in next four years. Horticulture Department is going to install micro irrigation system at its Zainpora farm with a view to popularizing drip irrigation amongst the horticulturists. The Department has started extending its activities to difficult terrains such as Gurez and Uri. While Apricot has been introduced in Gurez, additional area is being brought under olive plantation in Uri. Kiwi is also being popularized amongst private fruit growers. Special fruits like pears, peaches and olive are being promoted in the hilly regions of Jammu. New varieties of apricot are being introduced in Ladakh region. Cluster approach is being followed so that technical know-how to the farmers can be effectively imparted.
After the experts submitted a report to the Government that there was need for constructing cold stores in order to prevent various varieties of fruit from getting perished the Government has decided to seek private consultancy for setting up cold atmospheric stores and cold chain in the State. Official sources said that Departmental experts and the major horticulturists have been told to focus attention on cultivation of such varieties of fruit as have better export potential. Some of the horticulturists in the state favour no limits imposed on the export of fresh and dry fruit to Pakistan occupied Kashmir. They said that the two trade routes, Srinagar-Muzaffarabad, Poonch-Rawlakot, be fully utilized to export fruit which would ensure better return to the cultivators and the exporters. Some cultivators in Doda-Kishtwar belt wanted the government to initiate measures, financial and technical, for bringing more area under olive cultivation since olive had good export potential. Others said there was need for improving the walnut production in Doda-Kishtwar belt adding that the varieties of walnut grown in this belt did not match the top class walnut produced in the Kashmir valley.
They wanted the experts of Agricultural University and the Horticulture Department to experiment with the cultivation of Kashmiri variety of walnut in Doda-Kishtwar belt because the demand for Kashmiri walnut in foreign countries was very high. Invariably Kashmir production does not meet the export demand and this could be met if the quality walnut was produced in Doda-Kishtwar belt.
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