New agriculture policy to be launched

IMPHAL, Oct 12 NNN: Manipur Agriculture Minister Md Nasir today said a new agricultural policy will be introduced in the state to enable production of plenty of food and to improve the condition of farmers.

Declaring this at a one-day awareness programme on ‘tuber crop based farming system for sustainable production and income generation’ orgainsed by Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal under the aegis of All India Coordinated Research Agricultural University at Bishnupur district’s Irengbam village, Agriculture Minister Nasir underlined the importance of  a joint concerted effort for production of sufficient food items.

Informing that the state Government will adopt a new agricultural policy very soon, the minister also sought the support of the people in carrying out agriculture related works in the state. He said farmers should seek information on farming from expertise of the state Agriculture Department.

He also said tuber crop programme is suitable to the state’s soil, maintaining cultivation of various kinds of crops will enhance availability of food and at the same time will pick up the condition of farmers.

Dr James George, Coordinator, AICRP-TC, CTCRI, Thiruvananthapuram said both the hill and valley areas of Manipur will be appropriate for tuber crop cultivation because the soil and the weather are well suited for this purpose.

This, he said, will certainly boost up the economy of the state and asserted that nowadays the tuber crop has become one of the most wanted staple food items.

The programme was also attended by Dr M Ruhinikumar, Director of Research CAU, Imphal, T Radhaleima, Pradhan, Irengbam Gram Panchayat, and a host of horticulture professors and resource persons also shared their knowledge on tuber crop farming.