Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Housing Raman Bhalla, accompanied by Member Legislative Council Jehangir Hussain Mir, today inaugurated ‘Kissan Mela cum Walnut Fruit Show’ here today at Government Degree College.
The mela organised by Horticulture Department under Horticulture Mission witnessed participation of a large number of farmers, District Administration functionaries and representatives of political parties.As many as 40 stalls of Fisheries, Agriculture, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Sericulture, ISM and other allied sectors were set up in coordination with progressive farmers.District Development Commissioner, Mr. Sajjad Ahmed Khan, Director Horticulture, Mr. Anil Kumar Sharma, Chief Horticulture Officer Mr. R K Koul, besides, State President Pradesh Youth Congress Mr. Mohammad Shahnawaz Choudhary, District President Mahila Congress Mrs. Parveen Sarwar Khan, sarpanchs, panchs were present in the mela.Addressing the farmers, Mr Bhalla asked the concerned functionaries to make every effort to tap horticulture potential in the area by supplying high yielding fruit trees to the farmers. He also called for creating awareness among the farmers about the incentives being offered under various horticulture schemes.
He lauded the efforts of horticulture department for conducting such type of awareness camps to provide requisite information about scientific methods of fruit cultivation. He stressed on organising more such camps in other blocks of the district.The Minister said that the farmers were being motivated to use modern technology to improve their yield and stressed for close coordination between Horticulture officers and farmers to achieve desired results. He further announced that efforts are on to construct cold storage plant and fruit processing units in Poonch with an objective to give boost to this sector on large scale.The Minister stressed upon mechanization and persification in farming to make it a profitable business. He said that the Diesel Ploughs have been introduced for the first time in hilly areas of the State which is showing good results. He said micro-irrigation is being introduced and orchardists are provided with quality planting material for raising new orchards. He said that the drip-irrigation system has been introduced in water stressed areas. He said that such exhibitions besides encouraging the youth for setting up their income generating units help in developing cordial relationship between the department and the local people.
The Minister said that the department was trying its best to reach out to all the farmers to assist them in increasing their production. Mr. Bhalla said that various innovative measures have been put in place to bring maximum area under the ambit of horticulture cultivation to improve the economic conditions of the farmers.The Minister further said that Poonch district having varied agro-climatic conditions, viz sub-tropical, sub-temperature and temperate has the the potential to produce different kind of fruits of great commercial value. He said the area under fruit cultivation in the district has increased over years adding the as per latest estimates an area of about 16930 Ha has been brought under fruit cultivation with production of about 22713 Mt. of fruit. “As per estimates, more than 20000 Ha of land is available for further expansion under Horticulture in Poonch district”, he said adding that plants planted in different feasible areas of the district include Apple, Pear, Plum, Apricot, Walnut in temperature areas besides Olive, Pecannut, Peach, Apricot in sub-temperature zones and Citrus, Guava in Sub-Tropical areas.
Responding to the demands of fruit and vegetable growers, the Minister informed that Government has identified 26 kanal land for developing Apni mandi at Poonch town. He said the Government has already released Rs. 40 lakh for the first phase and the construction work on the auction sheds, platform besides other facilities like drinking water, power and roads would be started soon.Earlier, in his welcome address, the DDC Poonch said in order to improve the production, 27000 wild fruit trees have been top worked with improved cultivars through the youth trained by the horticulture department in the art of top working.“In order to boost the organic farming in the district, 20 Vermi composts units have been constructed during 2012-13 with cash assistance of Rs. 30000 per unit” he said and added that 16 dug wells have also been constructed in the private fruit orchards to improve the irrigation infrastructure. He said each beneficiary was provided an assistance of Rs. 1.30 lakh.
He further said that 173 Foot Spray pumps have been issued to the farmers , while the department has sold 20000 fruit plants produced in departmental nurseries of the district generating an amount of Rs. 3.50 lakhDirector Horticulture Mr. Anil Kumar Sharma gave a resume of achievements and activities of the department during 2012-13. He informed that the district is pided into 11 zones and each zone is headed by a Horticulture Development Officer to impart technical knowhow to farmers for developing high yielding orchards. He said an additional area of 330 hectare has been covered under new plantation programme under various state and centrally sponsored schemes including Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States during 2012-13 , while 60000 no of different kinds of fruit plants have been planted in the district.Earlier, Sarpanchs and progressive farmers also spoke on the occasion and shared their experience about the fruit cultivation. They stressed the need for introduction of high yielding fruit plants .Later, Mr. Bhalla also distributed cheques to Ist, Second and Third best exhibit of the fruit show.