SRINAGAR: The Agriculture Department Kashmir today celebrated (thaejkaad) Paddy transplanting day across the valley, with Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal kick-starting the campaign from central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
The Director participated in the paddy transplantation activities in the farmer’s field at various places in the district.
He while interacting with the farmers of different areas of the valley said that paddy is a staple crop of the valley and paddy transplantation has its cultural importance in Kashmir. He said people of Kashmir celebrate paddy transplanting day as they celebrate other religious and cultural festivals.
The Director said that this valley wide program is being held under the overall supervision of Financial Commissioner AP&FWD (Additional Chief Secretary), Atal Dulloo.
Chowdhary Iqbal marked various initiatives taken by the department for the development of the farming community of the valley. He said the department is working not only to ensure that the latest highly productive, quality varieties of agriculture crops including paddy reaches the farming community but to preserve and promote the cultivation of traditional varieties (muskbudji, zagg, meetha-chawal etc) also in the region.
He appreciated the farming community of the valley and said that their role in preserving the traditional varieties of paddy and other agriculture crops is commendable.
The Director said that besides the latest high yielding varieties, our local paddy varieties like (muskbudji, zagg, meetha-chawal etc) are finding new markets. He said the department is working to facilitate the concerned farmers so that they could fetch good returns for their produce.
Iqbal highlighted the importance of feedback from the farming community with respect to the implementation of different centrally sponsored schemes so that the necessary steps to address the issues of farmers could be taken up on time.
He said organizing such types of valley wide events enables the Department to bridge the distance between the Department and farming community. He said today’s event is the fourth valley wide campaign after the beginning of Kharief season.
Before paddy transplanting day, the department organized Apiculture Mapping Day, Farm Day, Oilseed harvesting day and similar programs would be held regarding some other agriculture crops in the coming days before the culmination of Kharief season.
Director agriculture was accompanied by Deputy Director Planning, Mohammad Younis Chowdhury and other senior officers of the department.
Similar events where held across the length and breadth of Kashmir valley Joint Director Agriculture extension Mohammad Syed Pir lead the proceedings in, Naidkhai Sumbal areas of Bandipora district while as Joint Director Agriculture Inputs Farooq Ahmad Bhat supervised the paddy transplanting day activities in Anantnag District.
Joint Director Agriculture Engineer Mohammad Ilyas Khateeb visited Pulwama and Shopian district of South Kashmir, Joint Director Agriculture Marketing Mohammad Qasim Ghani monitored the proceedings in Kupwara and Baramulla districts of north Kashmir while as Joint Director Apiculture and Mushroom Tabasum Naaz participated in the events in Srinagar district.
Meanwhile the paddy transplanting day was celebrated in all the districts of Kashmir Division monitored by concerned Chief Agriculture Officers.