JAMMU: Program Uitzendy Managers (PUM) expert from the Netherlands today called on Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo, and briefed him about the establishment of the proposed Indo-Dutch Centre of Excellence (CoE) for potatoes in Jammu and Kashmir.
Harm Groeneweg, renowned potato expert from the Netherlands along with Dr. Tarannum Kadarbhai, Liaison Officer for PUM besides Director Agriculture, Jammu, K K Sharma, Potato Development Officer, NP Singh, V K Ambardar, Assistant Agrostologist and Roshan Lal Bhagat, Area Development Officer were present during the meeting.
Briefing the ACS, the PUM expert informed that India and Netherlands have strategic cooperation on the G2G level in the field of Agriculture. The Netherlands aims to introduce crop diversification, increase productivity, and optimize water efficiency through the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Potatoes in the Jammu division for which the Dutch expert shall cooperate in tailoring to the local conditions. It is well known that the Netherlands has expertise in potato cultivation and product diversification besides the transfer of technology.
He apprised the ACS about his visit to different farms like Potato Development Farm Nathatop, SMF Chinore, SMF Kotli Mian Fateh, and farmer fields. He observed that the region has enough potential to produce quality potatoes both for processing and table purposes as per demand. He also informed that COE are advanced intensive and integrated agriculture farms for transfer of technology aiming to benefit the farmers.
He added that PUM is ready to establish COE, transfer technology, and import new varieties, for which Detail Project Report is being processed with the Director Agriculture Jammu.
Speaking on the occasion, Atal Dullo said that J&K is promoting potato as the fourth food crop after paddy, maize, and wheat for which we are focusing on expertise from the PUM experts. He apprised that an extensive plan for holistic development of the agriculture sector is already underway for which expertise and technological intervention is required to increase productivity, making crop production competitive at local and national markets.
The team, while briefing on the subject, expressed concern about establishing COE of potatoes as a technology center for J&K.
