Biswajit launches Krishi Mela
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 16 2022: Agriculture Minister Thongam Biswajit launched a 4-day State Level Krishi Mela 2022 at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen, Palace Ground, Imphal today.

The event under the theme "Transforming Agriculture" is being organised by the State Agriculture Management and Extension Training Institute (SAMETI), Manipur.

Speaking as the chief guest, Th Biswajit said for peace to reign in a State, a stable law and order situation and a good economy is required.

In India, agricultural sector occupies a large sphere of its economy.

To achieve an Atmanirbhar Bharat (a self-reliant India), special focus should be given to the agricultural sector and adapt to evolving agricultural practices.

Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Biswajit said, "To develop the Nation, we should reform, perform and transform" .

To transform and develop the Nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also encouraging "invention, innovation and incubation," he said.

"There will be transformation when farmers are given innovative agricultural practices and ideas that suit the present need," Biswajit said.

On people increasingly adopting organic farming, he said, earlier farmers focused only on the quantity of the produce.

However, with people becoming health conscious, more and more farmers are increasingly adopting natural and organic farming.

Prime Minister Modi is also giving special focus on the natural farming practices, he added.

Steps are being taken up to demonstrate four practices of farming--natural farming, organic farming, farming using nano fertilizer and farming using conventional chemical fertilizers to the State farmers.

If the yield of natural and organic farming are somewhat similar to that of other two practices, then there is no point in continuing the use of chemical fertilizers, he said.

Under Chief Minister N Biren Singh, steps are being taken up to enable relevant departments procure paddies from State farmers.

For this the Government may reserve Rs 80 crore.

This will encourage the farmers and also solve their problem of market shortage.

Further, if the State produces are enough then, it will also save the Centre the money spent on procuring rice from outside Manipur.

This initiative of the Chief Minister is laudable, he said.

The Government has discussed not giving soil health cards to land owners.

To encourage farmers to adopt multiple cropping without depending on rains, efforts are also being taken up to enable the use of underground water for irrigation, Biswajit said.

On fertilizer, the Minister said there were fewer issues of shortage of fertilizers this year.

Farmers should be cautious when using fertilizers, he said.

The 4-day mela would help promote farmers and the produce on display at the stalls were good.

However, the stalls lack some value added products, he said.

MLA Karam Shyam, MLA Kh Ibomcha, MLA Irengbam Nalini, S Premchandra and Agriculture Commissioner RK Dinesh were present in the event as presidium members.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Central Agricultural University (CAU), Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), State Departments, agripreneurs, farmers clubs and many farmer producers companies are participating in the mela.

Prizes for best stalls and best district will be given at the end of the mela.

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