JAMMU, MAY 19: Minister for Agriculture, Mohammad Khalil Bandh today inspected and reviewed the achievements at Seed Multiplication Farm Chinore during his visit to the border area of Gajansoo-Marh.
The Minister was accompanied by Vice-Chairman J&K Agro Industries Development Corporation, Rashid Ahmad and MLA Marh Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar, besides Director Agriculture Jammu, Hari Krishan Razdan, Director Command Area Development, S. Jitendar Singh, Managing Director, J&K Agro Industries Dev Corporation, Rakesh Khajuria, K S Sambyal Joint Director of Agriculture (Inputs) also accompanied the minister during the visit to the Farm.
The Minister said that there was much scope to boost production and productivity through intervention of latest farm cultivation techniques. Band also inspected the latest machinery being used at the farm like combines, seed drills, trans-planters, multi-crop-threshers, tractors, potato planters, ridgers, off sets. He said that efficient use of the machinery should be ensured. He directed the farm staff to prepare plans for running the farm on modern scientific lines with utilization of latest machinery and available technologies to produce best quality seeds for the farmers.
The Minister stressed on to take all out steps to prevent encroachment and trespassing of the farm land by unscrupulous elements. He impressed upon the officers to review the functioning of the farms periodically to identify the gaps and to bring innovations and improvements for enhancement of production and productivity.
The Minister was informed that the farm is spread over an area of 2586 acres of which 300 acres is irrigated. It was further told that the harvesting of wheat has been expedited with the usage of Modernized Combined Harvester during Current Rabi season.
Farm Manager Subash Panohtra presented the overview of the seed production, developments made in the quality and making the farm a profit earning activity with the introduction of the scientific management interventions and use of better technologies including line sowing through Seed-cum-fertilizer Drills, Paddy Transplanters, Plant Protection Measures and harvesting of crops by Combines. He also highlighted various problems and difficulties regarding shortage of staff fencing, repair of canal, construction of guest house and bunkers being located at vulnerable international border and having limitations of irrigation facilities.
The Minister assured of all possible help for carrying out fencing, augmentation of irrigation, meeting staff shortage and regularization of the casual staff working at the farm.
