Mao Potato Farm reaping the fruit of hard labour
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 12 2013:
The Regional Potato Farm at Mao, which is producing varieties of potatoes, has been able to earn around Rs 23,76,700 from selling potatoes during the fiscal year 2012-13.The Potato farm at Mao is located at a distance of around 110 kms from Imphal.
According to reports received by Hueiyen Lanpao, the Potato Farm at Mao was set up in the year 1970 under the Development of Potato and Vegetable Production Scheme of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department.
At that time the farm covered an area of 70 acres only.
But in 1975, the farm was upgraded into a Regional Seed Potato Production Farm with funding from North Eastern Council (NEC).
Along with the upgradation, the area of the farm has also been increased to 300 acres.
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Later in the year 2006-07, a new scheme under the name of Strengthening and Continuous Production of Basic Seeds in the Breeder Seed Potato Farm, Mao, was initiated under NEC and the area of the farm was further extended over an area of 1054 acres.
The farm, which is located 6,300 metres above the sea level, was established primarily to provide quality potato seeds to the farmers of North East India.
The report further informed that around 461 metric tonnes of potatoes were produced by the farm in 2010-11 and 411 metric tonnes in 2011-12.However in 2012-13, the farm was able to produce huge quantity of potatoes and was able to earn a total revenue of Rs 23,76,700 from selling Potatoes.
At present, research works on various types of potatoes are being carried out in the farm.
The varieties of potatoes which are being tested in this farm include K Surma and K Pokharaj among others.
K Jyoti, K Giriraj, K Kanchan, K Suraya, K Pokharaj, K Himalini, K Giridhari, K Shaiiza, K Himsona, etc are some of the varieties of Potatoes which are growing successful in the Regional Potatoes Farm at Mao presently.