Mao seed potato farm goes organic
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 01 2019:
The Regional Seed Potato Production Farm at Mao is adopting organic farming techniques to effectively produce seed potatoes, said Deputy Director Agriculture Department N Ningthemjao today.
Speaking to media persons at his office at Sanjenthong, Imphal, Ningthemjao said that seed potato seed production is affected by incidence of virus.
The farm has laboratory to detect viruses and diseases for more effective production of seed potatoes.
Mao, due to its cold and virus free environment, was selected for setting up the farm in 1970 by scientists of the Central Potato Research Institute Shimla under the then State Agriculture advisor Bhowmick.
The farm was instituted with the aim to provide seed potatoes not only to the State but also its neighbours, he said.
The then Mao Potato Farm was later changed to Regional Seed Potato Production Farm in the year 1975 following funding and projects taken up by the NEC.
The 70 acres farm has now expanded to about 1,070 acres today due to generous land donations made by the locals.
The farm used to produce around 1,570 to 3,600 quintals of seed potatoes and earn about Rs 10 to 25 lakh as revenue a year.
However, production declined from 2016-17, he said.
Explaining the reason for the decline in seed production, he said that the farm had to stop using fertilizers and other chemicals which enhance production due to health issues to the locals.
The stream which runs through the farm had carried the chemicals thus harming the villagers' health.
Following complaints by the locals in the downstream, the farm had to stop using chemicals, he said stating that seed production and revenue collection were affected.
The farm now is adopting organic farming.
Leguminous plants are being planted alongside or in turn to enhance nitrogen content (fertility) of the soil.
The farm is planning to produce Chipsona-1 variety of potato to increase seed production, he said.
The farm is short on manpower, he said expressing the need for employing more staff for its growth in the region.