Kachai lemon production declining
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 20 2010: Despite the distinction of being the one of the places in the world with the highest cultivation of high quality Lemon, production of the fruit in Kachai village of Ukhrul district has been declining year after year.

As in previous years, the 6th District Level Kachai Lemon Festival was held at Kachai village in Chingai Assembly Constituency of Ukhrul district yesterday.

Intended to encourage the Lemon growers of the village and to help them in generating more income through production of high quality Lemon, the festival was organised by People's Action for Rural Development under the joint auspices of State Horticulture and Soil Conservation Dept and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

At the festival, Scientist of ICAR Dr Roy declared that Kachai has become the only place in the world with the highest Lemon cultivation of best quality at a particular region.

A fully matured lemon tree at Kachai bearing numerous fruits, but which has definitely seen better days

However, even though the history of Kachai Lemon is over 60 years old, the production has been coming down due to various factors like dependence of the farmers only on the seasonal rain, lack of proper maintenance of the plants as well as a lack of commitment on the part of the Government to increase the production of this high quality citrus fruit.

According to Tapitha Tangkhul, a woman lemon grower of Kachai village, she has been earning income anywhere between Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 annually from around 200 Lemon trees in her farm.

But this time, she could not say what would be the production this time as there was shortage of rainfall last year.

Interacting with The Sangai Express, District Officer of Soil and Conservation, Ukhrul AS Ningmi informed that apart from Kachai, Maijol, Tora, L Phungthar and H Vokngayar are among the villages in Chingai AC of Ukhrul where Lemon cultivation is being taken up widely.

Maintaining that production of Lemon has been declining all over the world, Ningmi informed that under the Technology Mission, Horticulture Department has taken up various programmes in collaboration with ICAR to stop decline in the production of the fruit.

To increase production of Lemon in these villages, the Department had already provided Bone Meal and Lime Technology to the farmers for two consecutive years.

The programme was supposed to be implemented for three consecutive years.

However, it could not be implemented in one of the years, the District Officer informed, adding that the production did increase to a certain extent as a result of the programme.

He said that necessary training programmes for the Lemon growers have also been conducted and they have been advised against planting Arum and other like vegetables along with Lemon trees as these vegetables will exhaust the nutrients from the soil.

But the farmers did not obey.

This is also one of the reasons for the decline in the production of Lemon.

Pointing out that one kilogram of Lemon cost Rs 10 in Guwaharti while it is Rs 25 in Imphal, Ningmi questioned how the Lemon growers are supposed to survive in such a condition.

So there is the need for a Government policy to extend support to the Lemon growers.

Investors from outside are also not willing to come as the communication system is bad, he noted.

The inaugural function of the festival yesterday was attended by Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul N Ashokumar as chief guest, president of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) S Hemanta as functional president and SDO Ukhrul Sudan, IAS as guest of honour.

Speaking at the occasion, Ashokumar observed that the difficulties being faced by the Lemon growers and villagers as a consequent of deplorable road and communication system would be redressed within 2012 as the BRO has been entrusted with the task of developing the Ukhrul-Tolloi-Tadubi road.

In his presidential address, Hemanta expressed desire for upgrading the festival to the State level.

Opening in all 144 stalls, 138 Lemon growers participated in the festival.

RK Laklamphi, K Luingamla and S Ningamla respectively won the first, the second and the third prize for producing highest quantity of Lemon in the festival.