Letkhogin Haokip stresses on need of crop insurance for benefit of farmers
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 30 2018: A three day training programme on "New Dimension on Agriculture Marketing', began at Farmers training hall, Directorate of Agriculture, Manipur, under the aegis of Manipur Small Farmers Agri Business Consortium and National Institute of Agriculture Marketing (NIAM), Jaipur.

Additional Chief Secretary (Agri) Letkhogin Haokip attended the event as the chief guest while Project Coordinator, Manipur, SFAC, MS Khaidem, Deputy Director (Marketing and Skill Development) NIAM Jaipur, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Dr SR Singh and Joint Director ICAR for NEHR, Manipur Centre Dr I Meghachandra attended the event as the presidium members.

Speaking at the event, Letkhogin Haokip stressed on the importance of investing in insurance by farmers and explained that if the farmers insure their crops, it will be convenient for them during harsh weather conditions or seasons.

On the other hand MS Kahidem said that the training programme is a need of the hour and explained that in the 1960s, Dr MS Swaminathan doubled the agricultural produce of the country by using chemicals and pesticides but it was impossible to double the income at that time.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attempting to double the farmers' income by 2020 but to do so, it will require different technologies apart from reducing the cost of production.

If the cost of production is not decreased, doubling the income will be a hard task, he added.

Stressing on the need for a different farming system, MS Khaidem said that it is equally important to study the types of crops, time period, ways to sell the final produce etc.

Most of the farmers know how to produce a large quantity of produce but most often, they do not know how to sell the produce, he added.

The times are changing and many entrepreneurs are coming up in the State who are able to sell the produce at various districts of the State by including some value additional, he said and explained the need to process the produces, include value addition and sell them at better prices to improve the income generating capacity of the farmers.

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