Lt Governor to inaugurate 2-day event

BK News

Srinagar, Feb 26: Kashmir’s biggest farm mela will begin at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir on Sunday for two-days at the varsity’s main campus Shalimar here.

J&K’s Lt Governor Manoj Kumar Sinha will inaugurate the mela, a statement issued by the university said. This year’s theme for the two-day Exhibition cum Seed Sale Mela, to be observed on February 28 and March 1, is ‘Shaping future farming for better returns’.

“Sale of fruit planting material, fish, vermicompost, animal feeds and supplements, herbs, animal and agri byproducts, vegetable and flower seeds and seedlings along with the exhibition of various technologies will be available at the Mela. A farmer-scientist interaction programme is also being organized at the mela,” read the statement.

“It is an annual mega event being organized by the SKUAST-K where people of all ages and students from various schools come to buy the inputs of their interest and have the first hand experience of latest farming techniques & technologies of the various Agri and allied sectors” Dr Parvaiz Ahmed Reshi, an official of the SKUAST-K and organizing member of the Mela said.

“This year also the Varsity is geared up to take the challenge of managing the huge rush of the people while following the COVID prevention SOPs as per the Govt advisory. However the non-availability of poultry birds and sheep for sale that has been the prime attraction for many farmers across valley this year is regretted” Dr Reshi added

Reshi further said that 24 Research Stations, seven subject matter faculties, District KVKs from Kashmir Valley and Ladakh of the SKUAST-K along with the Progressive and adopted farmers of KVKs working under SKUAST-K will be putting their material on display at their respective stall in the Mela.

The mela has become the biggest annual attraction for the people from the past few years as lakhs of farmers and other interested people visit the event.