Imphal: Agriculture Minister Th. Biswajit inaugurated the District Agriculture Fair, 2022 Friday at State Mechanized Farm Complex, Lamphelpat, Imphal West. The fair is organized by Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) in association with District Agriculture Office, Imphal West. The fair is a platform for the farmers to showcase their products and get exposure for the marketing the crops.
Exhibitors of District Agriculture Fair 2022 include Imphal West District Line Departments; Schemes from the Department of Agriculture; Input Dealers of Imphal West and Farmer Group Stall of Imphal West. Altogether 23 stalls were opened to showcase the various activities of these exhibitors. Minister Biswajit, along with the officials, inspected the stalls and also interacted with the stall representatives.
Under ATMA Scheme, Best Farmers Group Award, Seed Money Award, and Food Security Award for the year, 2021-22 and Inputs were also distributed. Best Farmers Group Award comprising of a citation along with a cash award of Rs. 20,000/- each was given to 5 (five) farmer groups. The Seed Money Award and the Food Security Group Award were given to 4(four) farmer groups each.
The award comprises of a citation and a cash award of Rs. 10,000/- each respectively. The cash award will be given through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the awardees.
Speaking as chief guest of the function, Minister Biswajit said that Agriculture Department has been facing many issues for the past many years and the government is keen on streamlining the loopholes. Regarding the distribution of fertilizers to the farmers at a subsidized rate, the Minister said that there are ample stocks at present and it will be distributed after proper verification to the competent farmers.
Agriculture Minister added that the government is committed to curbing the issues concerning fertilizer and if there is any misuse during the distribution of the fertilizer to the competent farmers by the concerned authorities, stringent action will be taken up. He further appealed to the farmers not to mislead the officials while taking their share of fertilizers.
Minister Biswajit said that using of new technology in farming will increase the yield and boost the economy of the state. If the rate of production is increased, the state can export the products which in turn will help in developing the country as a whole, he added. Stressing on the necessity of modification of government guidelines concerning farming activities according to the applicability of the areas, he said that the modification will benefit both the government and the farming community.
Minister Biswajit said that proposal has been put up to bore 120 tube wells in areas where there is a scarcity of water and these areas will be a model for double cropping. Emphasis will be given in the cultivation of crops like potatoes, mustard, and peas which have demand in the market, he added. Minister also stressed on the use of nano-fertilizers to enhance farm production and environmental sustainability. Production of organic crops is the need of the hour to have a healthy society, he added.
The minister said that organizing the fair will provide a platform for the farmers to showcase their productivity and exposure for the marketing of the crops. There are buyers of Chakhao and talks are going on for marketing after thorough research of its nutritional value, he said. He further added that State Level Crop competition will be revived under a new scheme and asked the officials and the farmers to be innovative, informative, and responsible to make a self-reliant India.
Regarding the issue of Palm Oil tree cultivation in the State, Minister clarified that Palm tree will be planted at the barren foothills of the state with integrated farming system. This will not only improve the economy of the farmers but also the environment of the area. Experts need to share the knowledge regarding the pros and cons of the plantation of palm oil tree in the state for a proper implementation of the scheme, he added.
To address the issues of the farmers and to bridge the communication gap, the department had installed a toll-free line for farmers to share their grievances through the Toll-Free No. 1800-345-3822.
A technical session was also conducted where the farmers interacted with the scientists regarding the improvement and applications of new technology in the production of crops.
MLA, Lamshang A/C, S. Rajen Singh; Commissioner Agriculture, M. Joy Singh; Director, Agriculture Department, N. Gojendro; officials and staffs of Agriculture Department, representatives of the farmer groups and invitees attended the function.
