Lamenting that many Naga farmers abandoned their projects after availing the projects’ initial benefits from the government, Horticulture department adviser Mhathung Yanthan remarked “majority of Naga farmers cultivate the scheme rather than crops”.
He said this during a field study he had made to get first hand information on horticultural activities in Dimapur district.
The adviser visited a floriculture farm at Naga United Village and pineapple farm at Molvom village to study the kind of facilities being provided by the government and how these were being utilised by the famers.
Yanthan also had in-depth discussions with famers and self-help groups on marketing aspects of pineapples and flowers. He later said that interaction with the famers had given him a broad idea on how to implement strategies so that the farmers could be benefitted. He also urged the famers not to solely depend on the government but to continue with their current activities. “Farmers and self-help groups should not abandon their projects citing lack of funds from the government,” he added.
The adviser also inaugurated a “Pack House (Lefthang Misao)” at Molvom village constructed under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture scheme 2016-17. The pack house will collect and pack agricultural and horticultural produce for selling these later in the market. The advisor was accompanied by horticulture director Dr Elithung Lotha, Dimapur district horticulture officer Temsu Longkumer and other officials.
Yanthan is scheduled to visit other horticultural farms across the districts.