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| Kishtwar admin eyes on horticulture sector to boost farm income | | Area expansion, high density planting prioritized to tap full potential | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
KISHTWAR, Aug 8: District administration Kishtwar is focusing on horticulture sector to boost farm income and strengthen local economy.
Area expansion and rejuvenation of existing orchards with high density planting has been prioritized to fully tap the horticulture potential available in the district.
To attract youth, technological intervention and spreading of awareness about the lucrative avenues in the sector has been tipped as another area of focus.
The mountainous district is known for saffron production and its quality worldwide, even as horticulture sector also offers a promising avenue for employment generation.
Having a blend of temperate and sub-tropical type climate, the district with areas like Marwah, Paddar, Nagseni and Kishtwar are suitable for the growth of all types of dry and fresh fruits ranging from walnut to citrus fruits etc. The availability of the coniferous vegetation like pines and deodar provides huge potential for the wild varieties of dry fruits like chilgoza (pinus seeds) and the thanchi (peculiar dry fruit in the forests of Paddar).
Taking a novel initiative, the district Horticulture department has increased the testing for the growth of the fruits like Kiwi and Strawberry.
Being grown in the department's Model Orchard Cum Nursery (MOCN) Dambar Chatroo for the first time, their cultivation has witnessed a great success in the initial stages.
Model orchard cum Nursery (MOCN) is situated at 40 KM from Kishtwar. The plants introduced at MOCN Chhatroo are high density fruits with apple varieties like star crimson, super gold, molis delicious, red delicious and Gala mast etc.
In addition, walnut progeny orchards and different varieties of pomegranate, grapes apricot and pear are also grown inside the facility.
This year, the department took the initiative of producing kiwi from hardwood cutting in the nursery on a larger scale. The hardwood cutting of kiwi cultivators such as Hayward, Tomuri and Monty were obtained from advance centres for Horticulture Department (ACHD) Ramban.
"At present district has an orchard area of 8992 Hectares, while there is additional 15000 Hectare potential for raising the orchards," said District Horticulture Officer, Mohd Iqbal Baba. |
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