POONCH: Director Agriculture Jammu, S. Arvinder Singh Reen conducted an extensive tour of Poonch district reviewing agricultural initiatives and engaging with officials and progressive farmers.
The visit commenced at the Chief Agriculture Office Complex, where the Director interacted with Agriculture officers and field staff, emphasizing the importance of commitment and diligence in executing farmer centric initiatives. He provided clear directives for the effective implementation of projects under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) and other schemes.
During the tour, the Director visited the Hi-Tech Polyhouse of progressive farmer Ashwani Kumar, established under HADP. Ashwani Kumar, known for cultivating exotic vegetables such as Seedless Cucumber, Cherry tomato, broccoli, kale and bell peppers, received valuable guidance on diversifying his production, productivity and ultimately high returns.
The Director of Agriculture Jammu motivated him to go for cultivation of these high value crops in the Hi-Tech Polyhouse round the year to harvest the maximum returns and to enhance income and meet market demands. He appreciated farmer’s innovative practices and commended his role in modernizing agriculture in the district.
The Integrated Farming System Unit in Poonch was also inspected, where he reviewed the production processes and discussed strategies for scaling up mushroom cultivation. Highlighting its potential as a profitable venture, A.S Reen reiterated the department’s support for promoting mushroom farming as a key income generating activity for farmers.
The Director Agriculture visited the Naturally Ventilated Poly Greenhouse (NVPGH) at the Chief Agriculture Office Complex Poonch where one lakh hybrid seedlings of Broccoli, Knol Khol, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Onion were raised for distribution to the farmers and to promote urban farming in the area. He lauded the establishment of the district’s first ever modern agricultural infrastructure in the public sector. He also emphasized its potential as a model for farmers and directed to raise the seedlings round the year for self-sufficiency of the district in seedling production. Director Agriculture also distributed farm machinery viz Chaff cutter, Power Tiller etc. to the selected beneficiaries of HADP already approved by the DLM Committee.
The Director also visited Sub-Divisional Agriculture Offices in Surankote and Mendhar. He interacted with officers and field staff, reviewed ongoing projects and directed a proactive approach in addressing the farmer grievances including credit linked schemes, ensuring the timely distribution of benefits and promoting sustainable farming practices.
The officers accompanying the Director on his visit to Poonch District were Chief Agriculture Officer Poonch, Agronomy Specialist, District Agriculture Officer Extension, Assistant Soil Chemist, SMS-DL, Sub Divisional Agriculture Officer Poonch, Apiculture Development Assistantand other district officers. The team collaboratively reviewed the implementation of key agricultural initiatives and provided actionable recommendations for improvement.