'Trial farming of mustard, pea in Sangaithel successful'
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, January 31 2023:
Agriculture Department organised a farmers' field day programme in relation with Chief Minister's Conclave on Mustard, in Sangaithel on Tuesday.
Agriculture commissioner RK Dinesh, director N Gojendro, Imphal West district agriculture officer S Kennedy and other senior officials of the department participated in the programme.
Interacting with the media at the field, Gojendro said that under the aegis of chief minister N Biren and agriculture minister Th Biswajit, the department took up trial farming of mustard and pea in farms, which are otherwise left unutilised after paddy harvesting.
The programme was taken up in an area of around 55 hectares in Sangaithel area under the supervision of district agriculture officer, Imphal West and initiative of Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY) and National Food Security Mission (Oil Seed) in zero tillage natural farming method.
Similar programmes are also being taken up in different parts of Imphal West district.
The crops in Sangaithel area are growing properly and the department is hopeful of a good harvest.
It is also worth sharing that farmers in the area are practicing mustard farming in around 20 hectares on their own using local variety Hangam Yella, he said and further informed that the department is planning to take up similar programmes in all the districts by covering a minimum of 10 hectares in each district during the pre-Kharif season on trial basis.
The director further said that the department has received complaints of irrigation water shortage in some parts of the state.
The department is consulting with minor irrigation department for providing irrigation water to those areas.
However, the main challenge is lack of water sources.
The department took up the programme with the objective to boost productivity and income of farmers, but it has its own limitations, especially when it comes to irrigation facility since the department has no power or authority in this regard, he said.
DAO Imphal West S Kennedy informed that mustard and pea farming programmes were taken up in a total of 2820 hectares of farmland in Imphal West district with the project in Sangaithel area carried out in association with Anganphou Lourok Farmers' Group and Ningtham Mahei Farmers' Group.
They are hopeful of producing around 74 MT of mustard seeds and pea from the 55 hectares.
They are also planning for early paddy farming just after the Rabi season.
The agriculture commissioner and director have already been apprised of the lack of mustard oil extractor machine and the department has assured of looking into the matter, he said.