Poi villagers reaping fruit of apple farming
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 07 2023:
Poi village which is located around 68 km from UKhrul town on the Shirui Hill range along the Indo-Myanmar border, not only draws tourists by its scenic landscape but also has become a place suitable for apple plantation due to its cold climatic condition.
The village has of late managed to produce apples in bulk.
Poi village which borders Myanmar has a population of around 3000 people with agriculture as the main source of livelihood.
The idea of apple plantation was first initiated by the family of the then village chief Patrick Awungshi Shimray in 2019.It was the brain child of Patrick's eldest daughter Augustina Awungshi Shimray.
She started apple farming with only 55 apple saplings.
With her full dedication to farming, 53 plants survived and started to bear fruit within a span of two years.
Elated over success of her apple farming, Augustina harvested the apples and came to Imphal to present some to chief minister N Biren.
As an encouragement to her, the chief minister extended financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to Augustina Shimray, subsequently inspiring many Poi villagers to explore apple plantation in the village, which has now become popular for apple farming.
Villages neighbouring Poi are also eager to start apple farming after seeing the success of Poi village, who, however, are presently not in a position to meet the huge demands of apple plants.
Speaking to this daily, Augustina Awungshi Shimray, expressed her desire to produce huge quantities of apples which are liked and purchased by everybody due to its health benefits and its use in all the religious activities, and said that since she is married now, it has become difficult for her to maintain the apple farm in Poi village.
In her absence, her mother looks after the farm and is producing apples uninterrupted as of now.
She further informed that the apples she produce in her farm are not able to meet the demands of the people.
All her apples are sold out in Ukhrul market.
She is trying to increase production so that her apples reach beyond Ukhrul market.
Augustina Shimray also revealed that one of her childhood friends from Hunpung village has also successfully started apple plantation and has managed to bring out apples.
Interacting with this daily, Poi village chief Awungshi Shimray Wungnaoyo Robert expressed confidence that plantation of apples in the village could help develop the economy of the people and the village which has a population of over 2800 people.
He also urged authority concerned to repair the road leading to Poi village from Ukhrul district headquarters for smooth marketing of the local farm produce.
Border Pillar numbers 126 and 127 are located at a distance of about 3-5 km from Poi village.
The pillars are erected on the stretch of Sharei Peak which is a part of Poi village.
These pillars installed in 1969-70 were repaired by personnel of E-company of Assam Rifles in 2014 as per the engraved inscription on the pillars.
The villagers are now protecting the state's border in addition to protecting their own culture and tradition.
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