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| Saffron Bill in offing: Zargar | | |
Government has introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Saffron Bill in the Legislature to encourage cultivation of saffron and to check use of saffron land for construction purposes. The bill also seeks to regulate the quality of saffron meant for sale.
This was stated by the Minister for Agriculture Mr. Abdul Aziz Zargar in reply to a question of Sofi Ghulam Mohammad in Legislative Council today. He said as per survey conducted by the Agriculture Department in mid eighties, 5000 hactres were covered under saffron cultivation in Pulwama district in Pampore and adjoining areas like Letapora, Khrew, Voyan Shaar. He said the productivity of saffron has never exceeded 150 gms per kanal. The total cultivable area under saffron at present is 3830 hectares, in the above mentioned area. At present there are 8300 cultivators and 125 wholesellers aand retailers in the area.
The Minister said that one of the main factors responsible for reduction in the area of saffron fields is due to drought which prevailed during the years 2001-02 and 2002-03. During this period the production per kanal was as low as 50 gms. Another factor has been the outbreak of corm rot syndrome, for which necessary campaigns have been launched to educate farmers to treat corms before plantation. He said tube-wells have been dug in Pampore to provide irrigation facilities to Saffron land.
Replying to another question of Mr. Abdul Gani Vakil, the Minister said that the license to distribute fungicides in the State is issued by the Plant Protection Officer under the provisions of Insecticide’s Act 1968. The License is issued on the basis of Principal Certificate of the licensed manufacturer of Insecticide/Fungicides, in favour of dealer under provisions of the Insecticide Act, 1968.
He said currently M/s Kohinoor Enterprises have been permitted under the license issued by Plant Protection Officer, to distribute sell/stock or exhibit for sale or retail, Insecticide/Fungicides on the basis of Principal Certificate obtained from the manufacturer, upon the payment of prescribed license fee. |
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