Minister Abdul Nasir for a new Agriculture Policy
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 12 2012:
With an aim to increase agricultural production and also to develop the agricultural sector of the state, Agriculture Minister Abdul Nasir emphasized on the need for bringing out a new Agriculture Policy in tune with the changing time.
The Minister was speaking on the occasion of a day-long awareness programme on Tuber Crop Base Farming organized by Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal under the sponsorship of All India Coordinated Research Project on Tuber Crop at Irengbam Village under Bishnupur district today.
Speaking as Chief Guest of the programme, Minister Abdul Nasir said that the State Government is considering to bring out a new State Agriculture Policy very soon since development in the field of agriculture is very important in an agrarian economy like ours.
He also pointed out the need for organizing a number of such awareness programmes in different parts of the state and expressed hope that today's awareness programme on tuber crops would help the farmers to a large extent in increasing their agricultural production.
The farmers need to take the advice of the experts and professionals in this field, he added.
Dr James George, Project Coordinator of All India Coordinated Research Project on Tuber Crop, who was also present on the occasion as Guest of Honour, informed that Tuber crop is suitable to the soil of Manipur, both in the hills and the plains.
Nowadays, growing of tuber crops is become not only popular but also very important since there lot of food products can be produced from different types of tuber crops.
So, plantation of tuber crops would definitely help in generation of more employment opportunities in the state, Dr George observed.
Delivering the Presidential speech, Dr M Ruhinikumar of CAU explained that tuber crops are those crops like arum (Paan) and U-mangra whose seeds can be eaten.
These crops are not only good for health but also can be a source for generating income if taken up as a profession.
AK Bijaya, Assistant Prof of CAU, who attended the programme as one of the resource persons, said that since tuber crops are very good for health we need to produce the crop in huge quantities.
U-mangra is not only used as a food item but also in making detergents.
Apart from this, tuber crops are used in making a number of food items which are now available in the market.
L Nabachandra, Head of Department (Agronomy), CAU was also present as resource person.