Nagaland wins ‘Special Display Award’

Dr. Moa Walling, DHO Tuensang (Right) receives the ‘Special Display Award’ which was awarded to the Horticulture department, Nagaland during the 3rd International Horti Expo-2011.
 
Dimapur, January 12 (MExN): The State Horticulture department has been awarded with a ‘Special Display Award’ in the recently conclude 3rd International Horti Expo-2011 which was held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from January 7 to 9.
The expo was organised by the Media Today Group, New Delhi. Altogether 150 participants comprising public sectors, cooperates, publishers and stack holders participated in the expo. There were 26 state department stalls, about 20 publication stalls, 16 joint venture companies and the remaining were cooperates and private ltd stalls.
Tuensang DHO Dr. Moa Walling informed in a press release that Horticulture department, Nagaland participated in the expo promoting various produces from the HTM projects like fresh Naga mircha, pineapple, mandarin, ginger, turmeric, large cardamom, kiwi fruit and others like pomelo and grapefruit. Naga mircha products like Naga King Chilli pickle, Naga King Chilli defence spray, Naga King Chilli hot air oven dried and Naga mircha powder were also displayed. The department participated in the expo with Dr. N Benjong Aier, Mission Director TM-NE, Directorate of Horticulture, Kohima as the team leader along with Dr. Moa Walling, DHO Tuensang and Kilumsungba, HO, Wokha.   
Besides exhibition, two days international conference was also organised with the theme “Heralding New Horticulture Revolution for investment, production, value addition, marketing and exports.” It was also organised by the Media Today Group, New Delhi. The Kingdom of Netherlands organised the “Indo-Dutch innovations in floriculture & horticulture.”
 
Naga mircha in high demand

Naga mircha is making big news in domestic as well as the international level for its hottest pungency test record in the world. However, there are more works to be done to protect Naga mircha like patenting, DNA mapping and other registration.
During the 3rd International Horti Expo-2011, wide quires pertaining to cultivation, uses, planting materials/seeds, market and export were made in regard to Naga mircha. Tuensang, DHO, Dr. Moa Walling while informing this said that there is demand for the hottest chilli both in the mainland as well as abroad; “many visitors left our stall sweating though Delhi was chilling because of our wonder mircha.” Ginger (cv. Nadia), turmeric, mandarin, pineapple and large cardamom were also in high demand for market linkages. Many investors, exporters and cooperates are interested to venture into contract farming, buy-back and marketing for our healthy produces, the DHO added.
Meanwhile, the Department also observed that the Nagaland is gifted with nature’s bounty to be tapped for commercial horticulture because the produces are very healthy and second to none in quality parameter. However, the production is very low to meet the outside demand. This gap can be bridged with better state department-farmer and PPP venture.