SRINAGAR: Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura in presence of Minister for Education, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today laid the foundation stone of Cold Storage Plant at Sericulture Complex at Tulsi Bagh, Srinagar.
The cold storage plant is being constructed at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore and it can preserve up to 10 crore seeds at one time and would be completed by 31 October 2017.
Minister for Agriculture said that cold storage would lend a new lease of life to the sericulture sector here by increasing the life of a cocoon.
Mr Hanjura said that facility is basically built for the benefit of farmers. He maintained efforts are being made to revive the cultivation of mulberry plantation and survey is being carried out.
He further said that silkworm rearing would provide open employment avenues for the unemployed youth of the state.
The Minister also said that new scheme envisioned by the present government is infusing a new life in reviving the sericulture sector.
Mr Hanjura also impressed on the officers to strengthen the marketing of sericulture products. He said that farmers often face problems in marketing so, there is a need to develop reeling centers – which will increase the value of cocoons.
He remarked that if we have 4 to 5 reeling centers, farmers would face no problem in marketing their product. He also expressed his desire to restore the lost glory of Kashmir’s silk industry.
On this occasion Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari also said that silk factory at Rajbagh would also be revived soon, which will give a boost to this industry.
He stressed upon the preservation and cultivation of mulberry trees and seeds.
The function was attended by Director Sericulture Development Department, Mir Tariq Ali, Director Agriculture, Altaf Aijaz Andrabi, Director Floriculture, Managing Director JK Agro Industries, Deputy Director Planning Sericulture, District and Tehsil Sericulture Officers, other officials and sericulture growers.
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