Ishikha villagers continue to reap rich potato harvest
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 04 2010: As in the past few years potato cultivation in Ishikha village farms continue to yield rich dividends as economy of the villagers has stabilised to such an extent that attention of many neighbouring villages have been drawn towards potato plantation.

Scripting a success story include Konjengban Brojen Meitei, who cultivated seven hectares of his land this year, with the yield crossing the 5000 kilograms mark and earning him a profit of over Rs one lakh.

A visit to the village found Brojen's daughter Sanajaobi Chanu helping her father in packing potatoes harvested from their Ishikha village farm with some traders already present there to purchase the foodstuff in bulk.

Ishikha villagers pile up potato yield for sale to traders

Experts believe soil content where potato farming is being taken up on a wide scale is highly suitable for the food crop as the site was once a lake that through natural metamorphosis dried up retaining rich ingredients from decayed vegetation.

Ishikha with about 600 residents lies in Imphal East district and about 16 kilometres from the capital city.

potatoes fields are literally new found goldmine for the villagers.

With the profits earned through potato cultivation, economy of many families have improved with some earning enough to purchase brand new vehicles including cars.

Most parents now could send their wards to reputed educational institutions apart from structural changes in the village as transformation from living in kutcha houses to RCC buildings is a common sight nowadays.

Interestingly Sanajoabi created history in her village as she is the first student to study outside the state.

Brojen, who cultivated seven hectares of his land this year, said over 5000 kilograms of potatoes could be harvested per hectare.

"I had never dreamt of studying outside the state considering the poor economy of our family.

But with the successful cultivation of potato flourishing in our village over the past few years, we are now self sufficient," Sanajaobi, a standard XI student of Composite Junior College, Bangalore, said.

"Now my father is mulling over to send my two younger brothers to study outside Manipur.

I'll work hard to become a Chartered Accountant," a soft-spoken Sanajaobi (20), said.

Brojen's elder brother Boba Meitei (60) said many farmers of Ishikha have switched over to potato cultivation at the village's large chunk of land having an area of around40 hectares.

Since the area was once a lake, its soil is swampy and it is best for potato cultivation, he said.

With the technical support extended by experts from the state agriculture department and Central Agricultural University (CaU) and various NGOs, Ishikha villagers began massive potato cultivation since the last five years with success. As a result of the achievement, Ishikha villagers have improved their economy, Boba said while expressing his heartfelt gratitude to all who extended their support in the new trend of green revolution.

"We have also given part time jobs to hundreds of unemployed youths from Ishikha and its surrounding villagers including Pukhao, Keibi, Sagolmang and Uyumpok etc in our success cultivation," he added.

Dean of Central Agricultural University N Iboton,who also visited the village, said the university has been extending all sort of technical support to the farmers and will continue with the task.

The Social Elevation for Human Resources and Environmental Management Organization, Manipur, an NGO working for the farmers is currently acting as the conduit between the farmers and government experts.