Govt moots ganja plantation at select places
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, July 18 2019: The State Government has been mulling over plantation of ganja at some selected places and also to process the produces after buying in bulk from farmers so as to export them outside the State for use in manufacturing medicines.

This was stated by Chief Minister N Biren Singh while inaugurating a newly constructed building of the Directorate of Horticulture and Soil Conservation at Sanjenthong, Imphal East district today.

Biren stated that the State has been facing a huge challenge due to extensive plantation of poppy and ganja.

Some countries and States of India have already legalised ganja plantation for using ganja produces in manufacturing drugs.

Although the State Government has been mulling over plantation of ganja at some selected places, there would be complete ban on poppy plantation.

Hill ranges where poppy is cultivated extensively have been damaged very badly as chemicals are used in poppy cultivation, Biren stated and added there is a growing need to replace poppy cultivation with other profitable horticulture crops.

Biren said that the State needs to focus on some specific items like pineapple, lemon, orange, ginger and tree bean (yongchak) etc, which are suitable to the soil of the State, for economic prosperity.

He informed that since 2015-16, Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA) had been able to register 12,500 organic farmers covering 12,500 hectare in the State.

Under this mission, the Chief Minister said, 1 Farmer Producer Companies (FPC) had been formed, and five more FPCs are in the process of establishment.

As a marketing achievement, N Biren informed around 150 MT of organic pineapples were airlifted t Delhi and other cities last year which hugely benefited th pineapple growers.

Currently consignments of organic pineapples are being sent t marketing platforms such a Big Basket and NE Agri Products through flight for sale at major cities in Indi he added.

Stating that the Government has also been actively working for upliftment of gin ger growers of Pherzawl district, the Chief Minister said that the Government has been able to link buyers with ginger growers this year.

Around 4000 MT of ginger had been marketed outside the State fetching more than Rs 12 crore this year.

In 2018, sale of 1000 MT of ginger was made by MSTC Ltd, a Government of India company fetching Rs 1.9 crore, he informed.

Saying that organic produces of Manipur have been exported to different countries, Biren said that organic U-Morok has reached Australia, Canada and USA.

Directorate of Horticulture and Soil Conservation had acquired Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Kachai lemon, he said and added that now Kachai lemon has become the only lemon variety of India to have a GI tag.

The Chief Minister said that MOM A was awarded the prestigious Jaivik India Awards by International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA), Government of Karnataka and APED A for efforts and achievements in promoting organic farming in the State.

Maintaining that the Government always welcomes agro-entrepreneurs, who are willing to invest efforts in horticulture opportunities, the Chief Minister said that Manipur State Cooperative Bank Ltd had recently provided loan to an apple grower.

Last year as well, financial assistance of around Rs 95 lakh was provided under StartUp Manipur to a strawberry grower, he informed.

N Biren further said that cold storage infrastructures are being set up in various districts for the convenience of farmers.

After amending the Indian Forest Act, 1927, bamboo is no more categorised as a tree.

As such, bamboo can now be grown in private or homestead land, he added.

Saying that large scale destruction of forest cover due to poppy cultivation leads to environment degradation and climate change, the Chief Minister stated that the State Government is trying to provide alternative livelihood based on horticulture farming to poppy growers.

Regarding the inconvenience faced by the public due to potholes on different roads, the Chief Minister said that the Government is aware of the pressing need for immediate mending of potholes on important roads in the district headquarters.

To effectively implement the works, necessary directives had been given to upload photos of roads before and after repair, in the WhatsApp group of PWD, the Chief Minister said.

Bills for these maintenance works would be cleared by Superintending Engineers concerned posted at different divisions of PWD, Biren said.

Speaking at the function as the guest of honour, Horticulture and Soil Conservation Minister Th Shyamkumar said that development of horticulture sector can make Manipur an economically self-reliant State.

For this, he said, experts of Directorate of Horticulture and Soil Conservation need to give proper training to farmers regularly.

Principal Secretary (Horticulture and Soil Conservation) JG Ramthanga was the functional president.

Horticulture and Soil Conservation Director K Kipgen, past Directors and other officials of the directorate also attended the function.

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