Workshop on 'good agricultural practices' organised under Bharat ka Amrut Mahotsav in J-K's Kathua

Under the Bharat ka Amrut Mahotsav, a one-day workshop on the "Safe Use of Pesticides and Adoption of Good Agricultural Practices" for the production of Basmati rice was organised at Dayalachack, Kathua on Thursday by the Department of Agriculture Production and Farmers welfare in collaboration with Agriculture and processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

The Director of Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare, Jammu Kamal Kishore Sharma highlighted the importance of the production of quality Basmati of international standards. He exhorted the farmers to increase the area under basmati cultivation which will help in raising their income and also use judicious chemicals in paddy production so that international quality pesticide-free basmati rice can be produced.

He added, "in Kathua district the area under Basmati is 5614 Ha. the production of 15350 Metric Tonnes. The major varieties of Basmati grown in the district are Basmati 1121, Basmati 370, Basmati 1718, Basmati 1509, etc".

Dr. Ritesh Sharma, Principal Scientist, Basmati Export Development Foundation, APEDA gave a detailed presentation on "Good Agricultural Practices" for the production of Basmati meeting International standards.

Sharma stated, "India is the No 1 Exporter of Basmati in the world and the Jammu Basmati is most sought after. There is great scope for area expansion and doubling of farmers' income by producing pesticide residue-free Basmati for export".

Sharma added, "And on the occasion of the 75th year of Independence ' Bharat Ka Amrut Mahotsav, thrust has been made by Basmati Export Development Foundation in collaboration with Department of Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare to aware the Farmers to promote export quality (Pesticide residue-free) Basmati in Kathua Basmati growing region".

Jagdish Chandra, a farmer said that "The seminar, awareness camp by the APEDA, which is on based on the theme, is the judicious use of pesticide. This program has happened after a really long time and it is really good. I am thankful to the director for organising such a camp".

"The farmer will get knowledge and information regarding agriculture, the way the farmer's knowledge and information will increase, the practical use of it will be practiced by the farmers on the crops. The quality of the crops will increase will fetch us a good price at the market," added Jagdish.

Chandu Ram, another farmer said, "I really like the seminar. They gave such information that I have never known before. We can use this information to reduce the wastage of the crops. In order to maintain contact with, if at Panchayat level a small office related to agriculture is established so that we can ask the expert the doubts regarding the farming".

Subject Specialists from SKAUST covered all aspects of Integrated Pest Management and Integrated Disease Management underlining judicious use of insecticides/fungicides.

The Department of Agriculture also conducted Plant Health Clinic on the occasion for on-spot diagnosis and recommendation of plant diseases/insects. Pardeep Sharma, Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer, arrange a question-answer session that was also held on the occasion, in which queries raised by the progressive basmati growers were satisfactorily addressed by the various experts of the concerned field.

( With inputs from ANI )

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