IMPHAL, July 27NNN : Different varieties of flavoursome rice items produced in Manipur can be sold to other big states of the country through System of Rice Intensification (SRI) after proper development of irrigation and drainage canals and paddy bun (dike).
“Surplus rice production through double cropping under India’s historic Green Revolution has so far been successful, but vast areas in North Eastern states including Manipur have remained unsuccessful in taking it up till now,” social worker and Irabot Foundation Manipur president Th Iboyaima told newspersons at the foundation office, Singajamei here on Saturday.
He said different varieties of flavoursome rice items produced in Manipur can be sold to other big states of India through System of Rice Intensification after proper development of irrigation and drainage canals and paddy bun in the state.
Irabot Foundation under its campaign for greening Manipur started since 2007 has been working jointly with farmers in the state for double cropping by cultivating vegetable crops in the fields which are left unused after seasonal rice cropping.
He said the annual total rice production of Manipur is 4, 10, 100 metric tonne but its actual requirement is 6, 37, 666 metric tonne per year—660 gm per head for daily for the total 26, 45, 911 population of the state.
Lack of proper dikes has destroyed 83, 850 pari (hectre) of paddy fields by Loktak Project, Tipaimukh Dam Project has ruined 25, 822 hectre of paddy fields and another 523 hectre has been submerged and destroyed by the Singda Dam Project in the state, he said.
Besides, another 700 sangam of paddy fields has been destroyed due to development of the International Airport after forced land acquisition in the area by the state Government, Iboyaima added.
A large number of oil pumps, private schools, brick fields, Government office buildings and private building have also been put up in a vast cultivated land areas in the state, he said.
The social activist also announced that a public discussion on the continuing emaciation of arable land in Manipur will be held on August 1 at MDU hall, Imphal during which different resolutions will be taken to stop this practice in the state.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/manipur-rice-can-be-exported/
