SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir government today said various steps have been taken to cultivate basmati rice on commercial lines in the Valley under Basmati Mission, as it has a huge market potential.
“Steps have been taken to cultivate basmati rice on commercial lines in the Valley under Basmati Mission, as the product has huge market opportunities, both nationally as well as internationally,” Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir said after inaugurating the first of its kind Basmati Rice Plant at Ompora in Budgam district of central Kashmir.
Steps will be taken to provide national and global market linkages to the growers for its export, Mir said.
“Farmers of Kashmir Valley are facing difficulties due to non-availability of latest rice plant for basmati, but with the inauguration of this facility today, farmers will be able to produce finished product for consumers,” he said.
With efforts of Agriculture department and with collaboration of Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) of Kashmir, a new variety of basmati rice has been successfully introduced in the district and farmers are very much satisfied with its aroma and quality of production, the Minister said.
Average yield of paddy is 40 quintal per hectare, while the average yield of high yielding variety of basmati rice is 80 quintal per hectare, which will fetch an annual income of Rs 2.80 lakh to farmers, he said.
Calling upon farmers to cultivate basmati rice on commercial lines, the Minister assured them that the department will provide technical support for quality production along with better market linkages.
(PTI)
