Departmental labs

To enhance the scope of agricultural activities J&K administration is trying to make laboratories for many testing purposes more efficient.

In this connection recently the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, convened a meeting to review the status of various departmental laboratories.

In a meeting held with heads of Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, Sericulture and Sheep Husbandry departments, ACS had a thorough review of their departmental laboratories besides assessing their performance.

Director Agriculture Jammu informed the ACS about the working of the department’s laboratories for soil testing, pesticide testing and spawn production. He informed that all districts are equipped with static as well mobile labs for the farmers. He assured availability of necessary equipment, manpower, pesticide sampling machine, fertiliser quality control lab and 42 Plant Health Clinics.

Similar feedback was obtained from Director Agriculture Kashmir who was directed by the ACS to pursue NABL accreditation for the labs.

He emphasized upon the department to prepare a proposal regarding setting up of Biofertilizer and BioPesticide testing facilities.

Both the Horticulture Directors were also encouraged to seek NABL accreditation for their labs. Status of Soil Testing (static as well as mobile) and Pesticide Testing laboratories along with online and offline operations of their Plant Health Clinics was also shared with the ACS.