Imphal, January 19: The second District Level Kachai Lemon Festival commenced at Kachai High School premise with Youth Affairs and Sports Commissioner Ch Birendra Singh (IAS) inaugurating the two day event as the chief guest yesterday.

The second day of the festival today was devoted to technical sessions conducted by ICAR.

The opening programme of the festival being organised by Kachai Fruit Farming and Processing Cooperative Society Limited was also graced by the presence of Horticulture Commissioner Henry K Heni (IAS) as the functional president with Ukhrul district�s Deputy Commissioner Mohanlal Meena (IAS) and Director (Horticulture) Kh Kiran Kumar as the guests of honour.

Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation, district authority (Ukhrul), MSFAC and ICAR Research Centre are the joint sponsors of the annual festival organised to show case lemon/lime abundance and expand marketability of the local product.

A remarkable increase in lemon product could be seen at the festival with organisers contemplating the output to be double the quantity of those displayed in the inaugural edition.A total of 173 stalls are being put by lemon growers from different pockets of Ukhrul district.

The lemons put on display at the stalls were examined/tested by a team of scientist to determine quantity, size, juice contents and concentration of Vitamin C based on which winners were declared.

Consequently K Ningholla of Kachai was declared the winner, followed by Baiyangkang of Thima in second place while K Luingamla also from Kachai bagged the third prize.

The prizes carry Rs 3000, Rs 2000 and Rs 1000 respectively.

The valedictory programme of the festival held in the afternoon yesterday was attended by Joint Director of ICAR Research Centre, Manipur SV Ngachan while Project Coordinator of SFAC Manipur MC Khaidem and Managing Director of KBS K Thamarjit spoke as resource persons.

History of growing lemon/lime in Kachai area is traced to one (late) S Paisho who in 1944-45 sprinkled three seeds at Theikhor village and another two at Shimphungrim.

After two of the seeds sprouted at Theikhor and one germinated at the latter village full grown lemons were plucked in 1950s after which almost every Kachai households took interest in planting the lime family.

Currently every household out of around 300 in Kachai village nurtures 50-100 lemon plants for economic sustenance.

Categorising the lime family found in the district as Kachai Lemon is attributed to the then Agriculture Department�s Advisor S Bhowmick.

After survey by ICAR experts scientific terminology of the local variety is clubbed under the lime family of citrus jambhiri for its high ascorbic acid content (Vitamin C) which is also informed to have close relevance to acidity found in oranges.

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