Thangal farmers stare at orange disaster
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 27 2010: Though known for abundance of orange plants some years back, the same citrus plants have literally disappeared from Thangal village under Nungba sub-division of Tamenglong district.

Since four/five years back, orange plants started wilting in Thangal village, thereby giving a serious blow to the livelihood of orange farmers.

Among the dried orange plants, farmers have started planting banana and big chilly (U-Morok) plants in the hope of replenishing the income once generated by orange cultivation.

Multiplying woes of 200 odd households of Thangal village, who were dependent on orange cultivation for their livelihood, was the failure of orange saplings to take roots and grow after the old plants have wilted and died.

Officials of Horticulture Deptt at an orange farm in Thangal village

Former Pastor Khoithao Pamei said that he first introduced orange cultivation in Thangal village in 1986.In the first harvesting itself, he reaped oranges worth Rs 80,000 .

This heralded a new trend in the village with every household taking to orange cultivation as the principal source of livelihood.

As against 1200 orange plants Khoithao planted in his orchard in different seasons, he could reap oranges from 500 plants in one harvesting season.

Oranges reaped from 500 plants could earn a decent income.

In 2005, he could earn Rs two lakhs by selling oranges reaped from 500 plants.

Moreover, Khoithao bagged first position in the Orange Festival held at Tamenglong in 2004 .

But since then, productivity of orange plants started diminishing year after year and now almost all orange plants have perished.

Left with no other option, Thangal villagers started planting banana and big chilly plants amidst the dried orange plants.

On being enquired about the inability to breed new orange saplings, Senior Assistant Professor Dr Kh Ibohal of the Department of Entomology, CAU said that the parents from which orange seeds were taken for breeding should be examine first.

Nevertheless, inability to breed orange saplings might be due to soil condition of the area and common diseases like lead miner etc, Dr Ibohal said.

This phenomenon is not confined to Thangal village alone.

Orange plants have wilted and died in many other areas of Tamenglong district which were widely known for their abundant orange productivity some five/six years back.

As such, orange productivity of Tamenglong district and for that matter the entire State has been severely reduced.

Some of the areas where orange plants have perished extensively include Leishok, Toushang, Nungnang, Charoi, Noney Part-I, Toushang Khunou, L Khullen, Nungshang, Nungbai, Khoupum, Tousemjang and Lubanglong.

On being asked if the Department has taken up any measures to address this problem resulting from extensive death of orange plants, Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Tamenglong District officer N Tomba said that necessary efforts would be initiated to provide healthy orange saplings to farmers in consultation with senior officers from next year.

Meanwhile, a training programme on Rejuvenation of Declined Orange Orchard and Its Management was held yesterday at Thangal village under the aegis of Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Tamenglong District Officer.

During the training programme, SMS Tamei H Ibocha and H Nabashyam of Horticulture Development explained about common diseases of orange plants, their preventive measures and also scientific methods of managing orange orchards.

Resource persons attending the programme further demonstrated effective methods of applying pesticides and using sprayers.

DO N Tomba later distributed six sprayers, pea seeds for plantation, cabbage seeds, bee-hives, organic manure and insecticides to some selected farmers.