Director Agriculture Kashmir, Syed Altaf Aijaz Andrabi visited advanced Seed Testing Laboratory, for testing of seeds at Lalmandi here today which was devastated by the 2014 floods.After its renovation and re-establishment, the Lab has been equipped with latest facilities and equipments like “Laboratory Aspirator, Seed Divider, Seed Germinator, Biological Oxygen Demand, Hot Air Oven, Stereoscopic Microscope etc; to keep pace with the world standards viz a viz quality parameters and genetic purity.During the visit, Director Agriculture said that one of the major issues holding back our State’s Agriculture production is that a big number of farmers lack access to good quality seed. He said from last few years the department is relentlessly working in this direction to address the various issues facing farming community. He said the establishment of seed testing laboratory is one of the steps taken in this direction.Andrabi said that Seed Testing Lab is an essential establishment in seed certification and seed quality control programmes. He said the role of the modern seed-testing laboratory is more than just germination tests. It not only allows a grower to reduce the chances of crop disease issues, but it helps better utilization of nutrient inputs, so the grower can apply what the crop requires. Joint Director Agriculture (Extension) Abdul Rahim Samoon, Deputy Director Agriculture (Central) Ameer-ud-din Andrabi and other senior officers of the department, accompanied Director Agriculture, during the visit.