District level promotional event on commercial floriculture held at Samba

SAMBA: To promote diversification in farming and encourage farmers to explore profitable alternatives, the Department of Floriculture, Parks and Gardens Jammu organized a one-day district level event on Commercial Floriculture at Samba, drawing an enthusiastic participation of around 250 farmers from different parts of the district.

The programme was aimed at spreading awareness among farmers about modern floriculture techniques, market opportunities and various Union government schemes available for those interested in commercial flower cultivation.

The event featured a technical session and exhibition stalls set up by the Floriculture Department and allied departments, showcasing different floriculture crops, new technologies and support initiatives available for growers. Additional Deputy Commissioner Jagdish Singh attended the programme as the chief guest.

 Addressing the gathering, the ADC appreciated the initiative of the Floriculture Department aimed at bringing farmers and experts on a common platform. He stressed that commercial floriculture can emerge as a highly profitable diversification option for farmers, especially in regions with suitable climatic conditions.

During the technical session, the experts from line departments shared their insights on different aspects of floriculture farming. Dr. Sanjay Khajuria, Chief Scientist and Head of KVK Samba spoke about integrated and scientific approaches in floriculture cultivation, while Vikrant Sharma, Joint Director Floriculture Parks and Gardens Jammu highlighted the growing market demand for flowers and the expanding scope of the floriculture industry.

Chief Agriculture Officer Dr. Rakesh Khajuria elaborated on the schemes available under the Agriculture Department, while Chief Horticulture Officer Anil Gorka informed farmers about the support programmes being implemented by the Horticulture Department. Dr. Saurav Gupta, Senior Scientist (Entomology) at KVK Samba delivered a detailed lecture on integrated pest management practices for floriculture crops.

Officials from the Floriculture Department also briefed participants about cultivation techniques and government support initiatives. Assistant Floriculture Officer Atul Sharma explained the schemes available under the department, while Assistant Floriculture Officer Lalita Kumari spoke on the scientific cultivation of the gladiolus crop.

The programme was also attended by Deputy Director Floriculture Parks and Gardens Sunil Singh along with other officers from the department. Farmers actively interacted with experts during the session and visited the exhibition stalls, where they received detailed guidance on improved cultivation practices, pest management techniques and financial assistance schemes related to floriculture.

 The event concluded with a call to farmers to embrace commercial floriculture as a sustainable and income-generating venture, capable of strengthening the agricultural economy of the district.