Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 06:
The Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Govt of Manipur has set a target of augmenting the State exchequer by about Rs one crore through development of banana tissue-culture at the Mantripukhri complex of the Department.
The tissue culture involving local variety (Meitei hei) with the American origin banana (Grand-9) that falls under the Cavandies group would be developed under the Technology Mission - II, Provision of 2003-04, informed officer-in-charge of Technology Mission Cell, Imphal Kh Ratan.
In an interaction with The Sangai express today, Kh Ratan stating that the tissue-culture development will commence from next month also contended that final process of the same would require barely 2-3 months.
Once the process has been completed export of the cultured fruit could bring benefit of about Rs one crore whereas local sale proceed could yield Rs 50 lakhs, the officer explained.
While elaborating on plans to cross-bred various other vegetables capable of catering to the local markets like tomato, capsicum and cabbage at the Department�s field site, he also revealed of an ambitious programme to develop tissue culture of flower plants having vast potential of generating income through export to other parts of the country.
In the first phase regarding the flower plant tissue culture, he said emphasis would be given on two varieties of flower - anthurium and jerbera - that has huge demand abroad and capable of fetching enormous profit.
The Horticulture Department is also seriously pondering on tissue-culture development of an African variety marigold for production on large scale, Ratan added.
On problems of storing facilities, he pointed out that no such complications would arise at the Mantripukhri site has two different type of coolers with the capacity more than enough to meet demands of the State.