Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 11, 2010:
Cash prize would be awarded to the highest paddy producing farmer in the first cropping of this season, said Wangkhem A/C MLA K Meghachandra.
This was announced by the MLA in a paddy seeds distribution programme, held at Babupara today.
The competition would be opened for the farmers of Charangpat, Kekru, Wangkhem, Bishnunaha, Waithoupat and other paddy fields covering around 50 hectares under his Assembly segment.
The farmers must however cultivate PAC 807 in SRI method and IR 64 in non-SRI method, the MLA conveyed in the programme organised by State Agriculture Department.
Giving keynote address, Rice Scheme in-charge of ICDP, L Ibomcha expressed hope that SRI method would be successful this year as well.
He said that bringing prosperity to State farmers with the introduction of new methods of farming is the primary objective of the Agriculture Department.
Speaking in the programme as functional president, SE Agriculture K Manoranjan exhorted the farmers to concentrate on higher production rather than giving emphasis of cultivating higher nutritious varieties.
Farming of high yielding varieties would cut down the amount spent in importing rice from other States, he added.
Praising the farmers as second God, K Manoranjan announced that Agriculture Department would make available of rice plantation, harvesting and reaping materials to the farmers.
PAC 807 and IR 64 paddy seeds were later distributed to the farmers coming from Wangkhem A/C. Experts of SRI method, K Ibohal, Ng Nabakishore and A Nabakumar delivered lecture to the farmers in the technical session.