Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal, kicked off the campaign from central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, and the Agriculture Department Kashmir celebrated (thaejkaad) Paddy transplantation day across the valley today.
The Director took part in paddy transplanting activities in various farmer's fields around the district.
During his interactions with farmers from various parts of the valley, he stated that paddy is the valley's primary crop and that paddy transplanting has cultural significance in Kashmir. People in Kashmir, he added, observe paddy transplanting day in the same way they observe other religious and cultural holidays.
This valley-wide effort, according to the Director, is being overseen by Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner AP&FWD (Additional Chief Secretary).
Chowdhary Iqbal highlighted the department's several measures for the improvement of the valley's farming population. He added that the department is working not only to ensure that the latest high-yielding, high-quality agricultural crop varieties, such as paddy, reach the farming community, but also to preserve and promote the cultivation of traditional varieties (muskbudji, Zagg, meetha-chawal, and so on) in the region.
He praised the valley's farming population, saying that their efforts to preserve traditional paddy and other agricultural products are admirable.
Our native paddy varieties (muskbudji, Zagg, meetha-chawal, etc.) are finding new markets, according to the Director, in addition to the latest high-yielding types. He stated that the department is striving to assist the affected farmers in getting good returns on their produce.
Iqbal emphasized the significance of receiving feedback from farmers on the implementation of various centrally funded initiatives so that the necessary steps to resolve farmers' concerns can be made on time.
He claims that holding such valley-wide activities allows the Department to bridge the gap between itself and the farming community. According to him, today's event is the fourth valley-wide campaign since the start of the Kharif season.
Before paddy transplanting day, the department hosted Apiculture Mapping Day, Farm Day, and Oilseed Harvesting Day, and similar programs for other agriculture crops would be held in the next days before the Kharif season ends.
Director Agriculture was joined by Mohammad Younis Chowdhury, Deputy Director Planning, and other top employees from the department.
Similar events were held across the Kashmir valley. In the Bandipora district, Joint Director Agriculture Extension Mohammad Syed Pir supervises the paddy transplanting day activities, while in Anantnag District, Joint Director Agriculture Inputs Farooq Ahmad Bhat successfully led the paddy transplanting day activities.
Mohammad Ilyas Khateeb, Joint Director Agriculture Engineer, visited Pulwama and Shopian districts in South Kashmir, while Mohammad Qasim Ghani, Joint Director Agriculture Marketing, observed the proceedings in Kupwara and Baramulla districts in north Kashmir, and Tabasum Naaz, Joint Director Apiculture and Mushroom, took part in the events in Srinagar district.
Meanwhile, paddy transplantation day was observed in all Kashmir Division districts under the supervision of competent Chief Agriculture Officers.
