Latest News | Union Minister Inaugurates First-ever Northern India Regional Agri Fair at Jammu

Jammu, Oct 7 (PTI) Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala on Thursday inaugurated a five-day Northern India Regional Agriculture Fair 2021 here.

The minister complimented the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) for organising the event with a focus on demonstration of innovative technologies developed by the university to improve agriculture productivity and sustainability in Jammu region.

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He also inaugurated an 'Innovative Farmers Conference' organised on the occasion.

"This stupendous initiative of SKUAST towards bringing teachers, students, farmers and entrepreneurs on a common platform for exchanging their valuable and innovative experiences would immensely help the farmers double their income as envisioned by the Modi government," the minister said.

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He appreciated the technological interventions in the field of agriculture exhibited by different stalls at the fair and hoped the participating farmers from different states and Union Territories would be benefitted greatly.

He also advised farmers to see the integrated farming system of SKUAST-Jammu and develop it in their farms to increase their income manifold.

"There is immense scope for fish and livestock farming in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir besides Ladakh as well for doubling farmers' income," he asserted.

He also urged the farmers to adopt diversification in agriculture for achieving sustainability.

Rupala assured that all the issues of SKUAST-Jammu will be considered on priority for further streamlining of functioning of the university.

He informed that the limit for establishment of a project in livestock has been increased by the Government of India from five animals to 200 with 50 per cent subsidy.

He said scaling of operations of J&K's farmers is required and SKUAST-Jammu can become a Model University for diffusion of innovative technologies from lab to land.

He also appreciated the formation of a plantation committee in one of the villages of Udhampur district and asked all to replicate the initiative in other areas.

The agriculture fair is being organised in collaboration with SKUAST-Kashmir, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, APEDA and others.

Earlier, the union minister felicitated three Padma Shri awardee farmers and five National Award winning farmers for their outstanding contribution to agriculture.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)