SRINAGAR, Jul 3: The central government will establish a Clean Plant Centre for Rs 150 crore under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture scheme to provide disease-resistant plants to the horticulturists in Kashmir, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said here on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference here, Chouhan said local horticulture products are facing problems as new plants were getting infected by viruses within three to four years of being planted.
“We need to work on getting disease-free plants, and this area needs to be worked out. Under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme, we will be setting up a state-of-the-art Clean Plant Centre in Srinagar at a cost of Rs 150 crore,” he told reporters after reviewing the functioning of various schemes run by the departments under his charge.
He said the Clean Plant Centre Srinagar will immensely benefit the horticultural farmers as they will be able to get better quality, infection-free plants.
The focus will be on improving the quality of plants for crops like apples, almonds and walnuts at this centre, he added.
The minister said several schemes will soon be started for the coverage of horticultural crops in the crop insurance scheme, so that horticulture can be mapped.
“A tissue culture lab will be developed in Kashmir to promote saffron cultivation, while saffron nurseries will also be set up. Quality control labs will also be set up at Kathua, Anantnag and Baramulla in order to check the fertility and health of the soil,” he added.
There has been a demand for setting up a Regional Horticulture Centre in the Jammu region, for which ICAR will provide assistance, the minister said.
Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), dedicated irrigation projects will also be developed in the command area to bridge the gap in providing water from canals to the fields, he said.
“Reforms will also be made in the National Saffron Mission, keeping in mind the specialities of Jammu and Kashmir. A special team of scientists will be formed to work on this to increase productivity and reduce losses,” Chouhan added. (Agencies)
