Imphal: On the 4th day of “Mai-Own,2021” an exhibition of world-ready products from all corners of Manipur the DIPR team visited District Agriculture Officer & Project Director ATMA, Ukhrul, Departmental stall No.31, Friday at Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal.
Interacting with the stall owner, Mayapam Shangh who is the cofounder of the Farmer Interest Group Company, said that he started food production of different varieties in 2016 which included Ngayam foods, milk chocolate, gingers dark chocolate, black rice soap, fruits juice, pork pickle, beef pickle, chicken, wild apple candy etc.
He has not received any financial assistance from the government but moral support from ICAR. He also stated that if the government extends help to him, he would increase the volume of products but due to lack of fund he faced a lot of difficulties for productions and also packaging of the finished goods. But said that he is elated to be part of this mela which helped him showcase his products to the people..
The team then proceeded to Farmer Producer Company under MOCVD, Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Binita Mushroom centre stall no.38. The stall owner Rajkumari Binata who started mushroom farming since 2011 and got 1st Prize on National Mushroom Day Competition in 2016 and who is also the recipient of State Best Farmer Award, 2019 told DIPR that she has the opportunity to exhibit her products of mushroom of different kinds like fresh mushroom, dried mushroom, Mushroom powder, mushroom Bori (nugget), mushroom noodle, mushroom pickle, mushroom cookies, vermi-compost, Health Mushroom Tea drinks etc.
She also told that earlier due to lack of proper knowledge of storage care her products could not be stored for long and there was lot of losses. But after she got training from ICAR, help from Horticulture department which extended facilities like cold storage and other implements and joining KVK, she was able to reduce more but still face marketing problems of her products. She told the team that this mela has given an opportunity and benefits to exhibit her products to the people and also give a new knowledge for mushroom cultivation from this mela.
