Dir Agri chairs procurement rate fixation committee meeting at Krishi Bhawan

JAMMU, JANUARY 15: The Divisional Level Committee constituted for fixation of procurement and sale rates of Potato Seed Tubers and Open Pollinated Vegetable Seeds for the Spring/Kharif 2026 season met today under the chairmanship of the Director Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare Jammu Anil Gupta here at Krishi Bhawan Talab Tillo.
The meeting was attended by Joint Director Agriculture (Inputs), Dr. Ashwani Sharma; Joint Director Agriculture (SLUB/Farms), Aman Jyoti Sharma; Agronomist (Vegetable Improvement Scheme), Vikas Padha; Potato Development Officer, Raj Singh Sumbria; Professor of Department Vegetable Sciences and Floriculture, SKUAST-J, Dr. Anil Bushan, Accounts Officer, Vriti Uppal; Divisional Seed Certification Officer (DSCO), Nirmal Prakash Sharma; Technical Officer HADP, Raj Kumar besides other officers and staff.
Director Agriculture, Kashmir, Sartaj Ahmad Shah participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
Detailed and threadbare discussion was held on the relevant parameters to finalize the procurement and sale rates of open pollinated vegetable seeds and potato seed tubers (Hill Varieties) for the Spring/Kharif 2026 season.
The Director Jammu stressed the need to ensure timely availability of high-quality vegetable and potato seeds to farmers. “In addition to open pollinated varieties, hybrid vegetable seeds shall also be made available, with more than 25 percent of the total supply comprising hybrid seeds,” he directed. The Agronomist was instructed to collect district-wise demand from the Chief Agriculture Officers, clearly indicating major crops and their varieties.
The Joint Director SLUB/Farms was asked to strictly adhere to the mandated cropping pattern at departmental farms. Highlighting the emerging trend of urban farming, he also suggested inclusion of vegetable seed mini-kits during procurement to facilitate urban growers.
After due deliberations, the Committee finalized the procurement rates for seeds of major vegetable crops and potato seed tubers for the forthcoming season.