J&K minister and team visit Europe to study modern horticulture models

Ziraat Times News Desk

Srinagar, July 28: Jammu & Kashmir is looking to adopt advanced technologies, modern production systems and international collaborations to transform its horticulture sector following a recent study tour of Europe by a high-level government delegation led by Agriculture Production Minister Javid Ahmad Dar.

The delegation, which included Director Horticulture Kashmir Vikas Anand, Nodal Officer JKCIP/HADP, Prof. Haroon Rashid Naik, former Director Research at SKUAST-Kashmir, and Dr. A. Raouf Malik, Principal Investigator of HADP and Expert Member, visited leading commercial nurseries, research institutions and agri-technology companies to study global best practices in horticulture.

During the visit, the team toured internationally reputed nurseries producing premium planting material and designer plants. Officials held discussions with experts on nursery management, modern propagation techniques, certification systems, phytosanitary protocols, quality assurance mechanisms and integrated management of nursery pests and diseases.

According to officials, the exposure provided insights into the production of disease-free, true-to-type planting material—considered a key requirement for building a productive and globally competitive horticulture industry.

The visit assumes added significance for J&K as a substantial share of high-density apple planting material used in the Union Territory is currently sourced from Europe. Officials said understanding European quality control, certification and traceability systems could help strengthen local nursery infrastructure, improve the quality of domestically produced planting material and gradually reduce dependence on imports.

The delegation also visited Koppert Biological Systems, where discussions focused on biological crop protection, integrated pest management (IPM), bio-inputs and sustainable horticultural practices. The government expects these interventions to support climate-smart horticulture and reduce dependence on chemical pesticides in the region.

In addition, the delegation examined advanced horticultural machinery used in nursery operations, precision orchard management, planting, pruning, spraying, harvesting and post-harvest handling. Officials said these technologies could improve productivity, lower production costs and promote mechanisation across the horticulture sector.

The study tour also included visits to internationally recognised research and breeding institutions engaged in apple and temperate fruit improvement. Discussions explored potential collaborations between SKUAST-Kashmir, the Department of Horticulture and European institutions in areas including germplasm exchange, genomics, climate-resilient fruit production, precision horticulture, researcher exchanges, capacity building and joint research initiatives.

Speaking after the visit, Javid Ahmad Dar said the tour marks an important step in the government’s efforts to position Jammu & Kashmir as a globally competitive horticulture hub. He said experts accompanying the delegation would prepare a comprehensive roadmap outlining key learnings and a phased implementation strategy under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), Jammu & Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement Project (JKCIP) and other flagship initiatives.

Officials said the recommendations are expected to facilitate the introduction of internationally benchmarked nursery systems, stronger phytosanitary standards, biological crop protection technologies, precision mechanisation and collaborative research partnerships, laying the foundation for the next phase of sustainable and technology-driven horticulture development in Jammu & Kashmir.