Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 25 2009:
Taking serious note of the prevailing condition unfit for cultivation due to deficient rainfall, particularly in hill districts, agricultural scientists of the College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University would be making field assessments in hill districts.
Interacting with farmers of Chandel, Senapati and Ukhrul today, CAU Dean Dr N Iboton said that agricultural scientists would devise necessary measures so that early rabi crops can be cultivated in the fields where paddy cannot be cultivated due to deficient rainfall.
Dr Iboton also assured all possible assistance to the farmers of both the hills and valley.
Chief of Phailep village and chairman of Dingpi Area Development and Peace Committee Ngaikhojam Guite said that in the hills paddy was usually planted in May till mid-June.
However, paddy could not be cultivated this year as there was little rainfall.
He appealed to the authority concerned to provide seeds of other crops which can be cultivated in the dry or water deficient fields.
Asserting that the farmers did not get any seed although the Government/Department claimed to have distributed seeds of various crops, Ngaikhojam appealed to the authority to distribute crop seeds directly to farmers.
Chief of Maokot village in Kamjong sub-division, Paokam Haokip said that his villagers cultivated pumpkin and taros as paddy could not be planted this year.
After listening to the complaints and difficulties of the village chiefs, the CAU Dean suggested the farmers to take up poultry, piggery etc in addition to cultivation of vegetables.
He cited the example of Huikap where every household has taken to poultry farming.
They started from only 200 chicks provided by CAU.
CAU would be setting aside certain number of chicks for interested farmers of hill districts.
Saying that seeds of crops suitable to dry weather would be provided to farmers at the best level of CAU, Dr Iboton also assured the village chiefs that CAU scientists would look after plant diseases that may attack/infect the crops planted by farmers.
Scientists of different departments of CAU including Asst prof Ksh Ibohal of Entomology Dept, Prof L Nabachandra of Agronomy, Prof M Dhaneshwar of Animal Husbandry and Asst Prof Dr AK Bijaya also attended the interaction programme.
Chairman of the Manipur Hill Area Farmers Organisation Stephen Siro exuded that CAU would certainly fulfil the its assurances.