Jammu: To take stock of the activities being carried out at the Farm, Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura visited Seed Multiplication Farm, Chakroi here. He also inspected the latest machinery being used at the Farm including combines, seed drills, trans-planters, multi-thresher tractors, potato planters, ridgers, laser land leveller, straw reapers, the mechanically driven harvesting of paddy, sowing of rabi crops, drying and packing.

He interacted with the officers and the management of the Farm. The Minister said efforts should be made to boost quality seed production of different crops including paddy, wheat, oil seeds, fodder and pulses. Mechanization of crop production and post-harvesting operations with the use of latest technology will go a long way in boosting marketability of the produce.

Director Agriculture Jammu informed the Minister about the activities being performed at the Farm. It was informed that record of 400 acres of paddy has been sown this year against 329 acres covered last year.

The Minister was informed that various works including strengthening of infrastructure, purchase of latest machinery, upgradation of irrigation facilities, electrification and other civil works are going on at the Farm under Special Task Force (STF) programme costing Rs 30 crore.

Under the programme started in 2012-13, an amount of Rs 2.76 crore has been spent on the project by the Agriculture department so far. It was informed that out of 761 acres of farm land, 245 acres have been levelled and 100 acres proposed for levelling during the current year. It was also given out that 12 more tube wells installed by the Irrigation Department have increased the area under assured irrigation facilities from 60 acres to 300 acres.

New transmission lines and 12 transformers were installed and various civil works including fencing, culverts, gates and repairs of farm buildings were also done by the Power Development Department (PDD) and Public Works Department (PWD).