Vice Chairman J&K Advisory Board for Development of Kissans, Daljit Singh Chib has called upon the concerned Departments to setup wheat procurement centers well in time for purchase of wheat from the farmers during this Rabi season in Jammu.Reviewing the measures initiated by various Departments for procurement of wheat during current harvest in a meeting held here today, the Vice chairman asked the Food Corporation of India to establish maximum number of procurement centers in various agriculture areas for better marketing of the farmers in the division. He also underscored the need for providing high yielding verities of seeds besides quality fertilizers to the farmers during coming Kharief season and directed the concerned authorities to implement strictly the farmer welfare schemes for better crop production and marketing of agriculture products in the State.General Manger FCI, Kamal Kishore, Joint Director Fire and Emergency, R T Dubey, Chief Agriculture officers of Jammu and Samba, officers of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Horticulture Marketing and Planning Departments besides Members of J&K Advisory Board for Development of Kissans were among others who attended the meeting.The Vice-Chairman instructed the functionaries of Fire and Emergency Services Department to take precautionary measures to avoid fire incidents of wheat crop at ignition points.
The members of the Board gave various suggestions for development of agriculture crops besides its better marking in the State. The members also urged for establishment of maximum number of wheat procurement centers during forthcoming wheat harvest season. They also suggested for providing better marketing of vegetables through the mandies of Horticulture and Planning Department.The Vice Chairman assured the members that more procurement centers would be established in Jammu, Samba and Kathua for convenience of the farmers. He advised the farmers to take their produce to the nearest procurement center and avoid selling it to the private millers who are exploiting them.The Vice Chairman instructed the concerned functionaries that private marketers should be checked periodically so that they are compelled to purchase the wheat on the rates fixed by the government.The officials of FCI informed that wheat would be purchased from the farmers at Rs 1625 per quintal and said that Corporation would shortly establish good number of procurement centers in wheat zone areas for convenience of the farmers.The functionaries of Fire and Emergency informed the Vice Chairman that they have kept men and material ready due to vagaries of weather threat to the crops which may catch fire on their ignition point.