The Commissioner Secretary Agriculture Production Department, Mr Mohammad Ashraf Bukhari today inaugurated soil testing laboratory at Batapora Shopian. The soil testing laboratory has been constructed at a cost of Rs 50 Lakh.Speaking on the occasion, the Commissioner Secretary said that the soil testing laboratory will enable the soil testing and analysis besides providing of soil health cards to the farmers and fruit growers of district Shopian. He exhorted upon the officers of Agriculture department to reach out to the farmers for analyzing their soils of agriculture and horticulture crops so as to apply nutrients to their fields as per the requirement to increase the production capacity of their fields for sustainable agriculture growth. Soil health card scheme has come under Prime Ministers Scheme (Healthy Soil for Healthy Crops).
Commissioner Secretary said that farmers of district Shopian should come forward and get their soils tested at this laboratory so that they can increase crop production.District Development Commissioner, Shopian while addressing on the occasion said that agriculture and horticulture departments are playing an important role in the socio economic development of district and the need of the hour is that further attention is given towards the apple town of Shopian to increase the agriculture and horticulture crop production. Director Agriculture Showkat Ahmad Beigh, Director Horticulture P. K. Sharma, Director Law Enforcement P. K. Suhani, Joint Director agriculture Altaf Aijaz Andrabi, Chief Agriculture Officer Shopian, Chief Horticulture Officer Shopian and Officers of agriculture were present.