Huge demand for broom grass, bamboo strips: MOMA
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 11 2022:
Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA) project director K Debdutta Sharma has urged the people of the state to refrain from burning wildfire in the hills and destroying wild vegetation while stating that there is huge demand for broom grass, which grow in wild in the hills, and bamboo strips.
Debdutta made the remark on Saturday at the organic turmeric farm in Phalong village in Tamenglong district, where harvesting of turmeric is being carried out by Garden Care under the aegis of MOMA.
The turmeric farm is run by farmers registered under Kakingai Farmers Producers' Company.
Interacting with the farmers, Debdutta said that Seven Sisters Agro & Plantation Private Limited is marketing products from north east states in the national and international markets.
North east region is the main supplier of natural broomstick for the whole nation.
As such, MOMA has received a proposal for bulk supply of broom grass (broomstick) and bamboo strip, he said and added that farmers can harvest the broom grass growing wild in the hills after harvesting of turmeric is completed.
The project director also said that the demand for broom grass and bamboo strip can help in preventing wildfire, which leads to degradation of environment and soil.
He further said that the horticulture department has taken up initiatives for marketing of the organic turmeric produced by Phalong villagers.
Expressing delight over the high yield of organic turmeric, Debdutta said that MOMA will act as a market facilitator and arrange market linkage for the FPO for export of the product in the international market.
According to Garden Care project manager Khumanthem Indrakumar, they had formed five farmers' interest groups in Phalong village with each group comprising 20 members.
Planting materials were provided to the farmers under MOMA with the target of one hectare per farmer.
This year, turmeric plantation is carried out in only 25 per cent of the farmland and farmers were provided practical training right from the plantation to harvesting.
Given the high production capacity, they are planning to increase the coverage area from next year, he said.
MOMA also distributed seeds of different winter crops to the farmers on the occasion.