Govt committed to develop farming sector: CM
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, June 15 2021:
Chief Minister N Biren has released eight different crop varieties introduced by ICAR Manipur Centre during the inaugural session of a national virtual workshop organised by ICAR NEH Region, Manipur on the topic, 'Potential Crops of North East India: Prospects and Challenges' on Tuesday.
The recently released crop varieties included three rice varieties namely RC Ma- niphou 14, RC Maniphou 15 and RC Maniphou 16 while the two maize varieties introduced for the first time in Manipur were RC Manichujak 1 and RC Manichujak 2.On the other hand, two varieties of Perilla introduced for the first time in the country are RC Manithoiding 1 and RC Manithoiding 2 while the variety of Brinjal is RC Manikhamen 1.Speaking at the event, chief minister N Biren affirmed that the government continues to address the key challenges of agriculture in the state and the North East region, including low productivity, small holdings, under-utilization of irrigation potential and inadequate infrastructure along the supply chain.
The CM said that agriculture continues to be the mainstay for the majority of the population in Manipur and the NE region, which is endowed with diverse agro-climatic conditions with varied soil types and abundant rainfall.
As a result, there is huge potential for agricultural and horticultural produce and value-added products that can be marketed within the country and abroad, he added.
Observing that there is a changing demand for not only more quantity of food but also food with quality, nutrition and taste, Biren pointed out that the answer to these demands lies in crop diversification and use of new technology.
Towards this end, ICAR Manipur Centre, which was established in 1975, has been rendering valuable services to the state.
It had been providing regular advisories, weather data and forecasts for the benefit of the farmers, the Chief Minister said and added that ICAR had also supported in formulation of state action plans and strategies during Covid pandemic, floods and droughts in collaboration with various state government departments.
Maintaining that the NE region has many more potential crops, horticultural and vegetable plants, which need to be studied and commercialised as high value organic and nutritious food, he expressed hope that ICAR would explore further on the rich natural resources available for the benefit of the farmers.
Meanwhile, agriculture minister O Lukhoi Singh pointed out that the state's Agriculture Department is working along with ICAR with its full scientific and technical supports.
In the state government's strategy for self-sustained agriculture through double cropping, production of 9 lakh MT of rice is being targeted against the present production of 5.10 lakh MT by increasing the seed replacement rate from the existing 20 percent to 60 pc.
The seed distribution programme is also a part of the strategy, he added.
With new varieties of rice coming up from ICAR, the target production of rice would be achieved within five years in the state, he expressed, while urging the central government to explore the possibilities of increasing manpower in ICAR Manipur Centre.
ICAR had been collaborating with the Agriculture Department in proper distribution of the high yielding variety of rice seeds particularly RC Maniphou-13 which has the highest demand among the farmers in the state, the minister said.
Agricultural inputs were also virtually distributed to about 1000 farmers including 10 tonnes of certified seeds of RC Maniphou-13 provided by the state agriculture department.
Commissioner (agriculture) M Joy Singh, ICAR general (NRM) deputy director Dr SK Chaudhari, ICAR RC-NEH Region (Meghalaya) Dr VK Mishra, ICAR-ATARI (Meghalaya) director Dr AK Tripathi, Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan (VPKAS/ Uttarakhand) director Dr Lakshmi Kant and AICRN on Potential Crops co-ordinator Dr Hanu-man Lal Raiger also attended the workshop among others.
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