Hills still rely on valley for food: Letpao Haokip
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 29 2022: Horticulture and Soil Conservation minister Letpao Haokip has said that the state's economy could be enhanced significantly if more crops are produced in the hills, which comprise 92 percent of the total geographical area of the state, rather than the hill dwellers depending on crops produced from the remaining 8 per cent valley area.

Letpao made this remark while speaking during distribution of planting materials through district officials under 'Cultivation of horticulture crops as an alternative to poppy cultivation in hill areas' taken up by horticulture and soil conservation department as part of 'War On Drug-20' mission to convert poppy cultivated areas in hills into alternative cropping.

Speaking as chief guest of the function held at Nilakuthi Food Park on Wednesday, Letpao maintained that horticulture and soil conservation department is one of the leading departments which is shouldering immense responsibility for making Manipur a drug free state and the department is taking up various relevant activities including supply of high value crop seeds commensurate with soil.

According to Letpao Haokip, hills comprise 92 percent of the total geographical area of Manipur while the remaining 8 percent of the area is valley.

However, people living in the hill areas still rely on crops produced from the valley area, he said and called upon people to produce more crops to make the state self-sufficient in food rather than inciting communal enmity unnecessarily.

Manipur is still reliant on others as vast area of hills remain unused and there has not been any crop produced from the hills which could be sufficiently consumed by people of the state for one year, he said, adding that dependence on others will end only when people of the state start producing suffl cient food for consumption.

He also expressed hope that the state's economy would be enhanced if crops produced by horticulture department are sold by linking buyers.

The minister also called upon officials of the department to work in the fields and create awareness among the farmers rather than doing paper works by sitting in the office while maintaining that hill area is also part of the state and Manipur could not be developed without developing hills.

The department has taken up steps to provide 1.30 lakh saplings to farmers and has a policy to buy back produces of the farmers, he said, adding that pineapple, orange, turmeric, ginger and lemon grown in the state have high demand from outside.

The distribution function was also attended by Singhat MLA Chinglunthang, Henglep MLA Letzamang Haokip, additional chief secretary (horticulture) P Vaiphei and director (horticulture) Honey Chara.

Saplings distributed on Wednesday will be made available to farmers through DC, district officials and local MLAs and the scheme also has provision for giving incentive to farmers who successful grow the saplings.

Later, Letpao Haokip flagged off saplings loaded trucks for distribution to district officers.

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