Pahalgam, Nov 4: In order to make machinery and other equipment available at the door-steps to the farmers, Agriculture Department is organizing Machinery Melas throughout the Valley.
 As a part of this programme a Farm Machinery Mela was held at Aushamuqam today.
 On this occasion MLA Pahalgam Rafi Ahmad Mir advised farmers to adopt new methodology & techniques to increase agriculture production.
 He stressed upon the officers to act as a bridge between Lab to Land, so that communication gap from researchers to farming community & making all efforts for achieving high productivity, an official statement said.
 Mir appreciated the efforts of the department to reach out to farmers in far flung areas of Valley.
 He stressed the farmers to coordinate with department in implementing all the schemes launched by the department of Agriculture, which will help to increase the economic status of farming community.
 Chief Agriculture Officer, Muhammad Iqbal Mir said that today’s Machinery Mela shall provide them opportunity to interact with the experts of various fields of agriculture besides availing benefits on various schemes at their door-steps.
 In this Mela several authorized dealers displayed different kinds of Agricultural Machinery and other tools.
 The farmers of Pahalgam Sub Division purchased 4 Tractors, 12 Tillers, 88 Irrigation Pump Sets, 12 Foot Sprayers, 3 Power Sprayers and 7 Paddy Cutters, on which  incentive of Rs. 16.75 lakh will be provided by the Agriculture Department.
 Among others District officer, officers and field functionaries of the department besides large number of farmers were present in the Mela.
 Earlier, a day-long farm mela was held at Kunzer on Saturday.  Impressing upon farming community to avail benefits under various centrally sponsored schemes available in the Agriculture department, Director Agriculture Kashmir Dr. Farooq Lone said that technology-based mechanized farming has revolutionized the agriculture across the globe.
 He said, progress in agriculture sector is crucial to the overall economic development of state and farmers need to put in every effort to increase productivity.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 4 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 4 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 5 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST