Imphal, January 19: Participated by 209 stalls, the 4th District Level Kachai Lemon Festival, 2008 was held successfully at Kachai High School ground yesterday.

The event was organised under the aegis of Kachai Fruit Farming and Processing Co-operative Society Limited, Ukhrul District.

The inaugural function of the festival was attended by MLA Dr Khasim Ruivah as chief guest and Director of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Kiran Kumar as president.

Commissioner of YAS/IFCD Ch Birendra Singh, IAS and Director of ICAR, North East Hill Region, Shillong Dr S Ngachan were also present at the occasion as guests of honour.

Addressing the gathering, MLA Dr Khasim Ruivah said opportunities granted for displaying the products of the hard labour of the fruit farmers is indeed a blessing of the Almighty God.

We should give undivided concentration and dedication to the work we are doing.

Only then we would be able to achieve success, he said, adding that dabbling in numerous activities would not bring about success in anything.

The MLA also appealed to the fruit farmers to work hard in their chosen profession and try their level best in increasing production.

Speaking on developmental works being taken up by the Government, the MLA informed that steps have been taken up for construction/improvement of the Somdal-Kachai Road along with earmarking fund under the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR).

He also assured of taking up necessary measures for development of the existing condition of the Tadubi-Ukhrul Road at the earliest possible.

In his presidential address, Kiran Kumar observe that organising the festival would expand the knowledge base of horticulturists on the latest technologies available for increasing production.

Increasing production would be able to bridge the existing demand-supply gap of fruit production in the State to a great extent, the Director of Horticulture and Soil Conservation expressed.

Horticulturists should also try to gain as much knowledge as they can from the technical experts, he advised.

In the competition of section of the festival, H Luinailah won the first prize of Rs 5000, Z Ningtamla won the second prize of Rs 3000 while the third prize consisting a cash prize of Rs 2000 was won by RK Lakngamphi.

Along with distribution of the prizes, the chief guest also presented petromax, sports materials and other monetary assistance to the villagers.

As part of the celebration, the young students of Thotchan Baptist English School presented festival colour display and students of other schools in Kachai area performed a flower display appropriately titled Kachai Lemon Dance enthralling the gathering.

As part of the annual Lemon festival at Kachai, a seminar cum workshop on the topics of ' Opportunity Challenges of Kachai Lemon Production and Processing' and 'Pre-post Harvest Management for Kachai Lemon Marketing' respectively was facilitated under the joint co-sponsorship of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department, Government of Manipur; DRDA Ukhrul; State Institute of Rural Development; ICAR; Ukhrul District Community Resource Management Society/ International Fund for Agriculture Development.

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