Cardamom & Kiwi gives economic boost to Tichibami village

Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 15  

Officials of the Department of Land Resources led by its Secretary, Y. Kikheto Sema IAS on Saturday visited Tichibami village under Zunheboto district where the farmers are growing Cardamom and Kiwi on a large scale under the assistance and guidance of the Department.  

Tichibami village is growing 2000 Kiwi plants out of which nearly 200 are being harvested fetching Rs 28 lakh annually.  

According to Kikheto, Tichibami is the highest grower in Cardamom, village wise, in Nagaland with 6 lakh saplings being provided by LRD. The number of saplings has now grown to almost 10 lakh and the villagers are currently harvesting from about 2 lakh plants fetching them Rs 35 lakh approximately annually.  

It was also informed that the villagers were selling Cardamom suckers to other districts. In this connection, Kikheto said that those districts buying Cardamom suckers from outside the state should buy from within the state so that the money does not go out but circulates within Nagaland.  

Stating that the Department has channelized coffee market outside the state and even abroad, Kikheto encouraged farmers to grow coffee wherever possible and not to worry about the market.  

Noting that Tichibami village was also providing water to Mokokchung district, he lauded the villagers for their humanitarian service and urged them to continue living harmoniously with their neighbours. He appealed the villagers not to cut trees especially in the water catchment areas so that water does not dry up.  

Director, LRD, Hoto Yeptho thanked villagers for proper implementation of the Department’s schemes. It was informed that almost all the villagers had given up jhuming and were largely engaged in Cardamom and Kiwi cultivation.  

The LRD officers were also impressed with the meticulous report presented by Self Help Groups thoroughly accounting the use of every penny.   Tichibami Village Council and GBs expressed their happiness on the visit of Kikheto stating that he was the first Secretary of LRD to have visited their village.  

Later, in the evening, the officers visited Shotomi village where a meeting was held with the leaders and Watershed Development Team members. The LRD officers encouraged the villagers to cultivate coffee, cardamom and any other crop according to its feasibility and added that the Department was ever ready to assist them in any way possible.