Mechanisation of farming will help farmers produce more: Lt Guv
Srinagar, Sep 6 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday said mechanisation of farming is one of the important factors to transform the agriculture sector and it will lead to sweeping changes and help farmers produce more.
As a part of agricultural mechanisation support to the farmers for broader economic transformation, the lieutenant governor handed over sanction letters for 100 tractors to the farmers and 1,035 threshers for panchayats at Agriculture Complex, Lal Mandi here.
Speaking on the occasion, Sinha congratulated the beneficiary farmers and Panchayat members who received sanction letters.
“Mechanisation of farming is one of the important factors to transform the agriculture sector. It will further lead to sweeping changes and help farmers produce more, he said.
Terming agriculture and horticulture sectors as key drivers of the Union Territory’s economic growth, the lieutenant governor said the government has ensured efficient use of seed technologies, high-density plantation, nutrient management, and widespread adoption of integrated dairy farming schemes to make Jammu and Kashmir agricultural powerhouse.
Listing the reforms introduced by the government to transform the agriculture sector, Sinha said the agriculture department is providing facilities like cold storage, market linkages and food processing units, besides developing a strong framework for farmer-industry connect and generating employment opportunities for rural youth to bridge the urban-rural divide.
He advised the farmers to adopt new ways like cash crops, intercropping along with traditional agriculture for the steady increase in farm income.
On the interventions made by the Jammu and Kashmir government to strengthen farm mechanisation, Sinha observed that the government is setting up Custom Hiring Centers and Farm Machinery Banks in different parts of the Union Territory.
As many as 151 Custom Hiring Centres and 122 Farm Machinery Banks have been started so far, he added.
“Making strides in transforming the agricultural sector, the government has set the target of providing 500 tractors to the farmers. Similarly, we had decided to provide threshers to panchayats for harvesting of paddy and maize. As many as 1,147 threshers were given earlier and sanction letters for 1035 are being issued today,” he said.
The Lt governor underscored the interventions made by the government for the promotion of the local products.
Now NAFED will sell Kashmir’s Saffron at all its outlets across the country, thereby providing another option to the farmers to sell their produce at attractive prices, he said.
“Apart from Saffron, Jammu and Kashmir is number one in the whole country in the production of Apple, Walnut and Almond, and I hope that the upcoming industries in the food processing sector will help the farmer’s income to grow manifold in the coming days, Sinha said.
The Lt governor said the reforms brought in the agriculture and allied sector are yielding encouraging results.
Online organic certification has also started in Jammu and Kashmir to facilitate registration and ensure growth in organic farming, he said.
“For the first time in history, 2,000 trucks of vegetables have been exported from Jammu and Kashmir to other parts of the country. Jammu and Kashmir has achieved top position in the entire country with a yield of 70 quintals per hectare of paddy. We are converting 60,000 hectares of Basmati agricultural land into high productivity land, the Lt governor said.
“In the last one year, we have produced a record 5,400 metric tonnes of mushroom and 22,182 quintals of honey. Kisan Credit Cards have been made available to more than 11 lakh 60 thousand farmer brothers. Today, the Rs 8,000 cr worth market of apples is changing the lives of 30 lakh people connected with the sector, he added.
The Lt governor asked the youth to take up agriculture and allied activities as career options.
In agriculture and horticulture, there will be no shortage of finance and cooperation from the administration, he added.
On the occasion, Sinha launched the website of Organic Certification Agency.
With the launch of the website, the facility of registration will be available to the farmers of Jammu and Kashmir with linkage to national and international markets, he said.
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