J&K's RS Pura Basmati rice available in US food stores'

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir government today said the state's famous basmati rice variety Ranbir Singh Pora is now available in USA and Middle East markets, after it lifted the inter-state ban on its supply.

"Soon after taking over the charge of agriculture ministry, the first decision I took was to lift the inter- state ban on RS Pura (Jammu) Basmati rice," state's Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir said after laying the foundation stone of a Kissan Kendra here.

The Minister further said that in due course of time, the same basmati achieved international recognition by persuading the Centre to allow the export the same and now the RS Pura Basmati rice is available in USA and Middle East markets.

Mir, who laid foundation of Kissan Kendra here, said that introduction of modern agriculture techniques has started showing results on the ground and government was now focusing on to provide market linkages to help the farmers to get better returns of their produce.

Every step was being taken to facilitate the farming community at all levels, including facilitation of market linkage with local and national markets for good returns, he said.

The state government was also conducting orientation programmes to educate farmers about the market strategies.

Asserting that the growth of agriculture was going upward, Mir said that this has become possible due to farmer- friendly decisions taken by the government during last four years with regard to introduction of technology, hybrid seed, quality fertiliser, farm mechanisation besides exempting VAT and Tax on all agriculture inputs.

He said these decisions have given major relief to farmers and youth are coming forward to adopt farming as a full time occupation.