Widespread plantation of Yongchak trees stressed
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 06 2022: The CSIR-NEIST Branch Laboratory, Lamphelpat in collaboration with Manipur Protection & Promotion Committee of Tree Bean and Apunba Imagi Machasing (AIMS) organised a one-day awareness programme on "Plantation & Distribution of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants with Special Reference to Tree Bean (Yongchak)" under the CSIR Aroma Mission Project at the CSIR-NEIST Branch Laboratory on Wednesday.

The programme was attended by Union minister of state of education & ex ternal Affairs Dr RK Ranjan Singh, Lok Sabha MP Dr Lorho S Pfoze and former vice chancellor Manipur University Prof Amar Yum-nam, as chief guest, guest of honour and president respectively.

AYUSH Manipur director Dr A Guneshwor Sharma, retired additional director (health) Dr S Manikanta, ICAR Manipur Centre joint director Dr I Meghachandra Singh and of Life Sciences (Manipur University) head Prof Mohilal Meitei were also present at the programme.

In his keynote address, CSIR-NEIST Branch Laboratory principal senior scientist Dr H Birkumar Singh said that under the CSIR-Aroma Mission project various aromatic plants are being cultivated and distillation units installed across the northeast.

He also informed that slips of high yielding variety of lemongrass and citronella and saplings of Yongchak (tree bean) were distributed to some farmers of Manipur.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr RK Ranjan stressed on the need for plantation of Yongchak as this food tree is traditionally associated with Manipur and is a very important cash crop of the state.

He suggested that Yongchak should be planted along with other crops as the plant can absorb atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into fertilizer that can be available to other crops.

He also emphasised the need for land reforms and not land law.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Lorho S Pfoze strongly advocated contribution of all for forging a strong relationship between valley and hill people.

He said that various departments should guide the hill people and poppy plantation should be replaced with other crops and fruit bearing plants.

Prof Amar Yumnam, on the other hand, suggested the need for large scale plantation of Yongchak tree in Manipur as a huge quantity of Yongchak has been imported from Myanmar and Nagaland, leading to draining of economy.

Yongchak and other medicinal and aromatic plants were planted inside the campus of the CSIR-NEIST Branch Laboratory by Dr RK Ranjan Singh and Dr Lorho S Pfoze in the presence of various officials and entrepreneurs.

MOMA financially supported the programme.

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