J&K's vegetable exports in FY08 touched Rs 150 cr

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has exported vegetables worth Rs 150 crore last fiscal and there is enough scope to increase it further, state Agriculture Minister Abdul Aziz Zargar said on Thursday.

The export of vegetables was possible as measures taken to develop agriculture sector in the state are yielding better results, Zargar told a five-member Central Team of the Agriculture Ministry here.

He said the coalition government was committed to develop agriculture sector in the state and improve the economy of the farmers. The technology mission and micro-management programmes launched by the Centre in the state have yielded considerable results, he added.

Zargar said the Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture has to play a vital role in this direction and in increasing the agriculture production in the state.

Chairman of the Central Team Jugmohan Singh assured the minister that the institute would work for the development of agriculture and horticulture sectors of the state, besides providing technical guidance, officials said.

Director Agriculture Kashmir Manzoor Ahmad Shah and Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture Director Nazir Ahmad were present at the meeting.