Farmers in J-K's Kathua generating good revenue, request govt to provide irrigation facilities

Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 21 : Over 70 farmers in the Kandi belt area of Panchayat Hote in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district are earning a handsome amount of money after selling their produce which they grew using methods of organic farming, mostly in rainy seasons.
The agriculture department is helping them in learning new techniques to increase the quality production of seasonal vegetables such as cucumbers, ladyfinger, brinjal. The administration has taught them about cluster vegetable cultivation. However, while talking to ANI, farmers requested the government to provide an irrigation facility in order to sow vegetable crops throughout the year.
"The department is helping us in learning new ways to grow more crops and increase production. We have a good production of cucumbers... We sell it in two-three days in the market at Rs 25-30 per kg. It helps us in generating revenues. We use the techniques of organic farmers. We do not use fertilizers," said Charan Singh, a farmer in the Kandi belt.
Another farmer Prem Singh said that he sows the vegetables in the rainy season keeping in view the shortage of irrigation facilities in Kandi belt areas.
"The sarpanch of our village and department helped us in learning cluster vegetable cultivation in the scientific way of vegetable production for earning good profits. They are now developing a project and will help us in providing waters. We sow vegetables keeping in mind about the irrigation facilities. If water facilities improve, we will be able to produce more crops," Singh said.

Snehlata, another farmer said the cluster vegetable cultivation is encouraging farmers to grow more vegetables.
"There are many farmers in this village. The department is helping us on how to grow more vegetables. The officers give instructions on time. We are dependent on the rainy season to grow vegetables. Water supply is required so that we can grow vegetables in the winter season too. We are doing organic farming," she said.
The Chief Agriculture Officer Kathua, Arun Gupta said that the department is promoting the cluster vegetable cultivation in Kandi belt areas to help the farmers in order to generate good revenue.
"We are promoting cluster vegetable cultivation in Kandi belt areas to help the farmers. We told them about new techniques so that they can help them in getting good revenues. There is a shortage of irrigation facilities in the area, however, the department has planned a project of cluster vegetable production with irrigation resources to farmers so that farmers can produce the vegetables and other crops around the year. They are doing farming through organic means," he said.
"We are also thinking of developing Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO) so that farmers can sell their produce in the market at the best price," he added.