Area expansion in plains of Poonch, reintroduction in traditional areas bears fruit: Agri Deptt

POONCH, AUGUST 08: To enhance its production and quality of the, the department of Agriculture Poonch has reintroduced the traditional cultivation of Mandi-Loran Rajmash Moth in 89 Hectares during this Kharief 2023.

 The objective behind is to promote this niche crop and in the run up , around 4.3 qtls preserved seeds were distributed free of cost among 674 farmers of the District thereby bringing Buffliaz area of Surankote Sub-Division (30 hectares), Dhargloon & Naka Manjhari of Mendhar (16 hectares) alongwith Qasba, Bandichechian, Loran, Mandi and plains of Poonch District ( 43 hectares ) under its ambit.

The grown inter crop of Rajmash Moth is in bumper condition all over the District with expectations of a good harvest.

Under the instructions received from the District Development Commissioner Yasin. M Chodhary, the Department has ensued 89 hectares more area during this Kharief season in other belts of the district in an anticipation to pave the way for further advancements in the agricultural sector ultimately benefiting the farming community and improving their income.

The department has also introduced and popularized the sole crop of cranberry beans with maize crop in order to preserve the germplasm of Cranberry beans (Moth) as earlier the practice was limited and confined only to mixed cropping of Rajmash with maize, where cranberry beans was segregated and comprised of merely 10-15% of total produce of Rajmash. The motive behind this new introduction is to promote the diversification of the crops with an ultimate objective of improving the economic condition of the farmers.

 The department has also taken new initiatives in Poonch District such as installation of first ever Naturally Ventilated Polygreen house (NVPGH) in the office complex of Chief Agriculture Office Poonch with its capacity of production of more than 3 lakh vegetable seedlings well before the onset of the vegetable growing seasons so as to make these available to the farmers on nominal cost that too in advance before the market availability thus fetching handsome returns to them, promotion of urban farming through distribution of grow bags and seedlings raised in NVPGH in municipal belts of Poonch and surankote, round the year mushroom cultivation, beekeeping etc.