Diversify agriculture; make mushroom cultivation, beekeeping thrust areas: Mir

RKVY set to boost farming in J&K

In the series of meetings he has been holding to give Agriculture a new orientation, Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Ghulam Hassan Mir today asked the field agencies to develop sectors like Mushroom cultivation and beekeeping as major thrust areas. He said the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) on implementation is expected to give a major boost to farming in the state.

Addressing a meeting of officers to review the production of various crops in the state, Mr. Mir asked them to develop mushroom cultivation in a big way and provide market avenues for the same. He even asked the officers to give incentives to farmers willing to take up mushroom cultivation and even asked them to use their own manpower for the same.

The Minister also directed for reviving the mushroom laboratory and auto clave at Bhaghat e Shoor, Srinagar for strengthening the R&D of the sector. He also directed conducting a study about the production and demand of mushrooms in the state.

Mr. Mir was told that the department has already set up demonstration centres in Baramulla, Anantnag, Pulwama, Srinagar and Budgam districts and the department is imparting technical guidance to youth in mushroom cultivation.

About apiculture (beekeeping), Mr. Mir stressed on increasing the number of bee colonies and covering more areas under it. He said beekeeping can play a major role in reviving even horticulture due to cross pollination. He asked the officers to devise brands of honey based on the feeding flora. He also suggested repackaging and re devising market strategies for honey and even asked them to explore new marketing segments like airlines etc.

The Minister was told that presently there are 22 thousand bee colonies reared by two thousand bee keepers in the state.

Mr. Mir also stressed on encouraging cultivation of medicinal plants in the state in a big way as it has a good market potential and demand.

The Minister said Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY), a flagship programme of the central Government is set to give agriculture sector a big boost in Jammu and Kashmir once it becomes operational. He said the scheme has a great potential to improve agriculture sector in the state.

The Minister was told that a Rs.168 crore project under the scheme has been submitted to the centre for approval.

Principal Secretary, Agriculture, Mrs. Sonali Kumar, Directors of Agriculture, Kashmir and Jammu and other officers were present in the meeting.