National Seed Corporation seeks to purchase 'Tampha Phou' from State
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 21 2014 :
In what appears to be a good news to states farmers, the National Seed Corporation has recently conveyed its willingness to purchase the high yielding paddy branded as 'Tampha Phou' innovated by the Central Agricultural University, Iroisemba.
Also known as CAU R-1, the variety produces as many as 9,600 kgs of paddy per hectar which is locally reckoned as 40 bags of paddy from a 'Sangam' of field.
The rice brand is also known to be highly tasty.
Tampha Phou' variety is also highly suitable for farming in soils of north eastern states.
The National Seed Corporation has intimated the state agriculture department for purchase of the paddy seeds from Manipur for free distribution to other north eastern states.
However, the CAU has not been able to provide the 'Tampha Phou' paddy variety to the state farmers due to heavy demands.
Following requests from state governments of Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, the National Seed Corporation has sought the variety from Manipur state for distribution to farmers of North East states excepting Assam.
With free provision of seeds to farmers of the state, CAU R-1 paddy variety is currently grown in 50,000 hectars of farmland in Manipur.
Around 3.95 matric ton of paddy is estimated to be produced from the state.
According to a reliable source, the concerned department is looking into the possibility of supplying the seeds to the National Seed Corporation, after earmarking the quantity required for the state farmers.
The development will obviously break the apprehension of the farmers for lack of marketing avenue of the paddy brand.