Pulwama: The Minister for Agriculture, Javed Ahmad Dar, on Saturday visited the saffron belt of Pampore and assured full support from the government to strengthen the sector and address the concerns of growers.
During the visit, the Minister was accompanied by Justice (Retd.) Hasnain Masoodi, MLA Pampore, who underscored the importance of sustained government intervention to safeguard the livelihoods of saffron farmers and promote the region’s centuries-old crop.
The Minister also inaugurated a training programme for saffron growers at the India International Kashmir Saffron Trading Centre (IIKSTC) in Dussoo. Speaking on the occasion, he said the government is committed to improving post-harvest management, marketing facilities and technical training for growers to enhance productivity and competitiveness in global markets.
Javed Ahmad Dar later inspected different sections of the IIKSTC at Dusoo, including laboratories, storage and processing units, and interacted with technical experts and officials. He urged the officers to ensure that growers fully benefit from the infrastructure and services available at the Centre.
Director Agriculture, Kashmir, Sartaj Ahmad Shah, along with officers of the Agriculture Department and Pulwama district administration, accompanied the dignitaries during the visit.
