Srinagar: Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, government of India Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday announced the establishment of a Rs 150-crore clean plant center in the region. The initiative, under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), aims to provide virus-free, high-quality planting material to farmers, reducing their dependence on external sources and boosting productivity.
The announcement was made during the sixth convocation of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K), Srinagar, which was attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and senior government officials.
Chouhan said the new facility will be crucial in addressing the issue of contaminated planting materials often imported from outside the region. “We are committed to ensuring that farmers get clean, disease-free plants. The Clean Plant Center in JK will play a key role in this. The decision to set it up with an investment of ₹150 crore is a testament to our commitment,” he said.
He added that in 5,000 hectares of apple orchards in the region, productivity has already increased six-fold — from 10 tonnes per hectare to 60 tonnes — and stressed the goal of making Kashmiri apples a global export brand, reducing the need for fruit imports in India.
Earlier in the day, the the minister chaired a high-level review meeting with the Chief Minister and other top officials to assess the progress of agriculture and rural development schemes in the Union Territory.
Praising SKUAST-K’s academic and research achievements, Chouhan said the university has gained national and international recognition, with students from over 30 Indian states and Union Territories, as well as from abroad. “Convocation doesn’t mark the end of learning, but the beginning of new knowledge. Agriculture is not just an occupation — it’s the backbone of our economy and civilisation,” he told the graduating students.
