Leh, September 22 (Scoop News)-The Annual Vegetable cum Fruit Exhibition (Kissan Mela) organized today in Leh as a joint venture by the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments under Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA).
The Executive Councilor Agriculture and Rural Development, Sonam Dorjey inaugurated the exhibition wherein apart from traditional agriculture products, different varieties of high quality vegetable such as Broccoli, bringal, water melon, summer squash, cucumber kholkhol, garlic, bottle gourd, pumpkin, capsicum, chilies etc exhibited. Potted flowers were also exhibited with gladiolus, geranium, canna, roses, godatia, dahlia, zinnia, aster, fusia, catnation, petunia and cactus which has mesmerized and enthralled the huge audiences.
In fruit section, different varieties of apple like Tha, Red delicious, Karkichhu, Mongol, Golden delicious, Apricot halman, Raktse Karpo, strawberry, pear, grapes, peach almond, walnut, and osmotically and traditionally dried fruits were also displayed for exhibition.
Impressing and appreciating the growers of Ladakh for producing such high quality agriculture and horticulture products, Sonam Dorjey said that Ladakh has immense potential in these two important sector adding that LAHDC Leh with the visionary leadership of Sh. Rigzin Spalbar has already initiated some concrete measures towards creating marketing facilities by opening Rural Haat in Leh through Cooperative Society ensuring good prices to the produces whatever having with the farmers. Dorjey said that work on Rs: 6.00 crore cost Cold storage in Leh has already started which would further ensure extending life shelve of vegetables of the farmers and get rational rate. He also told that Army in Leh has agreed to take maximum requirement of vegetables from the local farmers saying that all these simultaneously created a new opportunity for the local farmers to go for cultivation of highly income oriented crops.
EC Agri. appreciated the Agri. and Horti. Departments for holding such Kissan Mela which is proving truly beneficial in sensitizing and encouraging the farmers in exchanging their views and experiences for better farming and take other important know how.
Earlier, the Chief Agriculture Officer, Mohd, Hassan welcoming the guests and farmers highlighted the objective of the Kissan Mela. He said that holding of the Mela with large participation of progressive farmers with their best products becoming helpful to identify such high quality produces which are conducive to Ladakh’s climates. He also underlined the success story of ploughing, harvesting and grass cutting machines in Ladakh and urged the farmers to use such machines for further development of agriculture considering its cost-effective as well as acute shortage of manpower in the present scenario.
On this occasion, two progressive farmers Tsewang Norbu from Nimoo and Phuntsog Dolma from Ranbirpur also spoken describing their view points and experiences in farming. They termed the Kissan Mela as a guiding factor all the farmers to know new techniques and methods for growing much higher quality produces. At the same time, they urged for providing quality seeds with sufficient quantity besides time to time training and guidance to the farmers.
Sonam Dorjey on this occasion distributed grass cutting machine and ploughing machine to the progressive farmers.
Stalls from DIHAR, SKUAST and other allied organizations were also opened in the Kissan Mela.
The Councilor Upper Leh Gelong Lobzang Nyantak, Councilor Phyang Tsering Sonam, Councilor Lamayouru Tsering Wangchuk, Councilot Deskit Tsewang Rigzin, Councilor Kyagar Rigzin Wangdus, Chief Horticulture officer, Sonam Phuntsog, Chairman, Panchayat Coordination Commisttee Captain Tashi Tsephel, more then two hundred progressive farmers of Leh district and officers and officials of Agriculture and Horticulture department also present.
MORE AT http://scoopnews.in/det.aspx?q=32170