Lemon plantation provides sustainable income, say growers
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik
Ukhrul, January 15 2020:
Locals of Kachai Village stated that they found contentment in horticultural farming, particularly lemon plantation as it generates sustainable income for livelihood.
The indigenously found Kachai lemon of Ukhrul district has become popular after achieving GI tagged for its unique content of juice.
The villagers reported that there were more than 500 lemon growers in the Kachai village alone and further expanded to the neighbouring villages for its high demand in the market.
Progressive farmer Yangmiso Humao of Kachai village, while interacting with this correspondent, stated that he started lemon plantation in 2014.Saying that he earned an annual income of Rs 2,60,000 (approx) every year, Yangmiso expressed confident that lemon production will be increased substantially in the following years as all his lemon trees will bear fruits.
Apart from marketing lemon, he also knows grafting, layering, cutting, making bonsai and sapling and also making pickles and lemon juice.
This provides additional income to the family.
He has also attended several training programmes on farming and marketing.
Yangmiso acquired immense technical know-how and knowledge from the expert and also developed a better business linkage with departments concerned and others.
According to him, he had planted more than 5000 lemon sapling in two farmlands.
Over 6000 kg of lemon would be harvested from his farm although half of the lemon product has already been marketed before the Lemon Festival at the rate of Rs 50 per kg.
Yangmiso expressed gratitude to Forest and Environment Minister Shyamkumar for providing a truck to the Kachai village for transporting locally available lemon, vegetables etc to other Districts.
The villagers also exuded strong confidence that lemon production of Kachai village would be increased substantially in the following years and will enable the lemon farmers to supply the growing demand in the market.