With a view to promote Basmati and other varieties of rice in Jammu division, the Department of Agriculture today organized a special Training-cum-Awareness Camp for the farmers at village Chohala in R.S.Pura near here.Vice Chairman, J&K Advisory Board for the Development of Kissans, Daljit Singh Chib and MLA R. S. Pura Dr Gagan Bhagat were special invitees in the function.The camp was attended by over 500 farmers of the recently launched R. S. Pura Basmati Rice Cluster and the implementing officers and officials of the department.On the occasion, the experts from SKUAST-J & Department of Agriculture including, Dr. A. P Singh, Sr. Scientist, Dr. Kamlesh Bali, Sr. Scientist, Dr. Rajesh Sharma, Sr. Scientist, Matinder Singh, ADO Vegetables, Jammu and Jag Mohan Bhat, SMS extensively deliberated on the latest techniques and special varieties of rice which are quite viable under the climatic conditions of Jammu division. They enlightened the farmers about the advanced trends and asked them to adapt these for high yield of rice and other crops.Vice Chairman, J&K Advisory Board while addressing the farmers said that farming community must come forward to avail the benefits under Centrally Sponsored Schemes and the special Basmati Project under the Chief Minister’s Committed Project viz-RS Pura Basmati Rice Cluster (RBRC) Project and the adjoining Suchetgarh Basmati Rice Cluster (SBRC) Project.
He also called on the farmers to focus on the Integrated Pest and Nutrient Management and promoting the Organic Farming under Participatory Guarantee System. He asked the farmers to implement the technology to produce best quality basmati rice with aroma in their fields which has the great demand in the market. He said that recent establishment of mandis by the government have facilitated in doubling the returns on paddy and the farmers can avail more enumeration/returns by bringing improvement in the quality parameters of the basmati as per international market.Speaking on the occasion Dr Gagan Bhagat said that cluster of Chohala and adjoining villages which are rich in rice production have been selected to further boost the production and quality of Basmati Rice. He asked the farmers to come forward to avail the benefits of the programme by improving the quality parameters of the traditional R. S. Pura Basmati. He further asked the farmers to stop indiscriminate use of pesticides, promote vermi-composting and discourage the construction on agriculture land by adopting vertical extension of buildings.Sh. R.L. Bhagat Chief Agriculture Officer, Jammu presented an overview of various components of the programme in his key note address and welcomed the dignitaries and the participating farmers.