Letpao distributes horticulture crop seeds
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 15 2023:
Horticulture and Soil Conservation Minister Letpao Haokip distributed seeds of horti-culture crops as a measure to discourage poppy plantation and provide alternative source of livelihood to farmers, specially in the hill districts, today.
The seed distribution programme was organised by the Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation at Sanjenthong.
At the function, Letpao Haokip said that many farmers in both the hills and the valley districts now focus on planting horticulture crops and it indeed is commendable.
Claiming that horticulture crops have now been plant-ed at many places where poppy was cultivated earlier, the Minister continued that the department is working tirelessly to ensure farmers get their seeds on time.
He appealed to officials of the Horticulture Department in every district to be punctual and attend office on time in the larger interest of the farmers.
All the efforts of the Government will be useless if the farmers don't get their seeds on time, Letpao Haokip reasoned.
There were claims of delay in seed distribution in the past, Letpao said and appealed to all concerned to make sure farmers get the seeds on time.
The Minister further said that the Government is considering promotion of millet and other suitable crops to prevent poppy cultivation.
Saying that spreading awareness on the benefit of cultivating horticulture crops among the farmers is equally important, the Minister sought support from all stakeholders in promoting horticulture crops in Manipur.
"Let's give our best effort to expand agricultural areas in Manipur and plant horticulture crops extensively in the hill districts which cover about 92 per cent of the total geographical area of the State," Letpao Haokip suggested .
Maintaining that a horticulture project worth Rs 260 crore is in the pipeline for implementation in Manipur, Letpao said that the Government has been holding talks with experts to promote agriculture in the hill districts and keep a separate room in every shopping mall to sell horticulture crops .
Appealing to all farmers to practise organic farming wherever possible, the Minister said that some crops however, require non-organic methods.
He also said that the Government doesn't want to formulate any law to make the organic method the only means for planting crops, vegetables or fruits as the State couldn't produce enough food for all citizens on its own, let alone export them.
Saying that there are reports of some farmers wasting the seeds taken from the department, Letpao Haokip appealed to the farmers to take the seeds only if they are determined to play the central role in making Manipur a self reliant State in terms of food production.
Director of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Honey Chara said that many farmers from the hill districts endorse the initiative of the Government to stop poppy cultivation.
Saying that the Government is preparing to plant horticulture crops in 600 acres of land of hill districts as an alternative to poppy plantation, Honey Chara maintained that the department will also distribute hybrid seeds to 700 farmers of Kangpokpi, Ukhrul, Kamjong, Chandel, Churachandpur , Senapati and Tengnoupal for plantation.
Nodal Officer (Seed Project) of ICAR Regional Centre, North Eastern Hill Region Manipur, Dr I Megahchandra also attended the programme.
Consignments of vegetable seeds and other plantation material were also flagged off for distribution to farmers under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), today.