ZT News Network
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir would soon have its own Horticulture Policy to tackle upcoming marketing challenges and increase the production manifold, Secretary, Agriculture Production and Horticulture Department, Manzoor Ahmad Lone said.
“Jammu and Kashmir Government will come up with its own Horticulture Policy, which will be focusing to increase production and tackling climate change, given the unique temperature of this place,” said Mr Manzoor, while holding public grievance camp here.
“The policy has been drafted and it has gone for the comments to all the stakeholders. We are hopeful that we will soon have our own policy, which will be focusing on boosting economy and upgrading horticulture infrastructure,” Lone informed.
The proposed policy would suggest appropriate technological interventions, human resource development to meet the national nutrition requirements, international competition and safeguard the interest of growers and increase in their income.
“Currently we have nearly 400 nurseries and National Horticulture Board has accredited 78 nurseries and the process continues in this his regard,” he said.
Lone informed that over the decades, the growth graph of Horticulture sector in Jammu and Kashmir has shown a tremendous spike from 10,000 metric tons of production in 1950 to 25 lakh metric tons of production in 2020.
Director Agriculture, Altaf Andrabi, Director Horticulture, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, among other senior officers departments were present during day-long public hearing camp.