Director Horticulture Jammu Bhawani Rakwal conducted an extensive tour of twin Border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and inspected the development works and plantation of Citrus in Kangri area of Sunderbani Zone. He emphasized on covering of more area under citrus plantation to form a large cluster to ease the marketing of the fruit. While checking ongoing works at Govt fruit plant nursery Siot and Rajouri, he directed the nursery staff to follow the laid down procedures for raising the quality planting material. He also visited Pecan nut village in Doongi and Sasalkot in Doongi Block of District Rajouri and Khari Karmara in Poonch District. Two pecan nut villages are being established by the department of Horticulture in Rajouri and Poonch Districts in an area of 200 Ha .While addressing the gathering of progressive orchardists and farmers he assured them every kind of support from the department and directed the field functionaries to disseminate best practices to the orchardists for better management and stressed on regular field visits of the area to ensure the success of the pecan nut plantation and the project.
Director Horticulture also visited Govt fruit plant nurseries at Poonch, Surankote, Ajote and Rajpura Mandi in Poonch District. While inspecting Ultra High Density Plantation of Apple at Raipura Mandi he stressed on using area specific best possible technology to increase the production of fruit plants in the departmental nurseries.The departmental staff was asked to motivate the farmers to avail maximum benefits under Central sponsored schemes so that the more and more area is covered under fruit plantation.Director Horticulture also visited a Post Quarantine Facility established under private sector at Saathra and Sukha Katha in Poonch wherein imported rootstocks and grafted high density plants of Apple and Pear have been raised under protected cultivation and controlled atmosphere.Chief Horticulture Officer Rajouri Kirtan Singh, Chief Horticulture Officer Poonch Sushil Kumar Angurana, Mukesh Sharma DLSMS Rajouri, Iqbal Malik DHO Rajouri and other officers of the department accompanied the Director during the tour.