Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo, today visited Centre of Excellence for Fruits, Udheywalla and took stock of progress on works undertaken there.
He was accompanied by Vice Chancellor SKUAST Jammu, Professor JP Sharma and Director Horticulture, Jammu, Ram Sevak.
ACS expressed satisfaction that such a facility has been developed for the growers of Jammu region. He directed the officials to work hard for betterment of farmers and assured full support from his department so that farmers of J&K are benefitted. He said that the Centre would become a huge attraction among the growers as it will serve as training center for them.
Professor JP Sharma called for inviting expert committee to overcome shortcomings, if any, and also use their experience for betterment of the centre.
Later, ACS visited the mother blocks of different fruit crops and enquired about the varieties being grown there.
Project Incharge, Dr Vikas Tandon, gave a detailed account of objectives and progress of the project. He told that from this season planting material would be supplied to fruit growers.
He also visited Biocontrol Laboratory where he was informed by Dr Vishal Gupta and Dr Pradeep Rai that they are producing and supplying biocontrol agents like Trichoderma, Pseudomonas and bio fertilisers such as rhizobium and PSB to farmers of Jammu region through development departments.
Those present at the occasion included Registrar, Dr SK Gupta, Registrar; Director Education, Dr Rakesh Nanda Director, Education; Comptroller, Madan lal; Executive Engineer, S Iqbal Singh; AEE, KK Raina; ADR, Dr Shahid and Head Fruit Science, Dr Parshant Bakshi.
Pawan Suri and Sonu Kumar from Jain Irrigation Systems Limited were also present the on the occasion