Kohima, June 27 (Representative) Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar has said that Nagaland is rich in the horticulture sector and its products have the potential to be exported outside Nagaland, however, farmers should ensure to produce enough quantity of quality products according to global standards to achieve that, if the products are good, they will get a good price, which would improve their living conditions.
Speaking at the inauguration of a Farmers’ Exhibition-cum-Workshop at Central Institute of Horticulture at Medziphema under Chumoukedima district of Nagaland on Sunday, Tomar said that the North-East region and Nagaland in particular has the capacity to bring about a new revolution in the horticultural sector. The region being blessed with six agro-climatic zones with vast geographical variations in-between, provides great scope and advantages for growing many horticultural crops as compared to other states of the country. Tomar stated that the State Government should also increase the income of farmers through high value crops, connecting and bringing new technology to the farmers through institutions. He also appreciated the efforts of the Central Institute of Horticulture in improving the horticulture sector in Nagaland and the State Government for ‘doing enough in the agriculture sector and also bringing development in the state.’ After the Medziphema programme, the Union Minister visited the National Research Centre on Mithun (ICAR) Nagaland where he noted that Mithun, scientifically known as Bos frontalis, is a unique bio resource of the NE and it is everyone’s responsibility to conserve it.
According to a release issued by lCAR informed that the Union Minister urged the farmers to adopt an alternative package of practices for Mithun rearing under the semi-intensive system developed by ICAR-NRC. He appreciated the ICAR’s effort in ‘transforming’ Mithun farming by creating interest in farmers and raising their incomes, he stressed on the need to carry out further research for the benefit of farmers. He suggested that the institute take up research to explore the development of business models for nutritional and therapeutic properties of milk and fertilizing capacity of Mithun dung and urine. The Union Minister also visited the pineapple farm at Molvom village, under the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCD-NER) and also inaugurated the foundation stone of Krishi Vigyan Kendra of Dimapur administrative building at ICAR, Jharnapani Centre, followed by interaction with staff members, farmers and entrepreneurs.