KOHIMA, October 6 (NEPS): Secretary for Land Resources Y Kikheto Sema, IAS, has called upon the coffee growers in Nagaland to focus on their farming activities and urged them to do away with the habit of running after subsidies.
Speaking as Chief Guest on the occasion of Commemoration of World Coffee Day 2016 organized in collaboration with Coffee Board of India (CBI) here at the Conference Hall of the Directorate of the Land Resources Department (LRD) today, the Secretary said the Department would do everything that the coffee growers in Nagaland had received best coffee seedlings and technical supports.
He, however, pointed out that there was no “Opposition or Ruling” from the Department side as they would focus on where such coffee plantations were suitable and viable.
“Our concern and target are where it is viable for the coffee growing, we will provide everything,” he stated.
Towards this, all the farmers and villagers should work hand in hand and they should not buy coffee seedlings from the unauthorized nurseries except the Coffee Board and the Department of Land Recourses, he said.
Stating that the Nagas should give up the dependency culture as such culture had spoilt them, Kikheto reminded that the Nagas had the habit of chasing subsidies while neglecting attention to their own farming activities.
He further called upon the Naga people that they should seriously start thinking how to work and live as dignified people and should know that they were blessed with the most fertile lands. “If we work to be independent, we will start talking our rights,” he added.
There was no scope for large and medium scale industries in Nagaland except small scale ones and informed them that their land was suitable for coffee growing, he said and further disclosed that their coffee was one of the best ones in the world.
He also announced that he along with officers from the Department would be visiting Karnataka this month and meet Coffee Board people. Later they would also be visiting coffee grown hill districts and spend time there so that their officers would learn more from them. “We shall accomplish our mission from ‘Wasteland to Wealth land’ in Nagaland,” he said.
Later, the Chief Guest with LRD and CBI Officials tasted Nagaland Coffee as a mark of Commemoration of World Coffee Day 2016.
Earlier Uday Pandit from Coffee Board of India while speaking on the occasion assured the department that the CBI would do their best to see that coffee growing took place in large scale in Nagaland. Hoto Yeptho, Director, LRD, also spoke on the occasion of Commemoration of World Coffee Day 2016, while Setiyangla, extension Officer, CBI, Mokokchung delivered Vote of Thanks.
Officers of Directorate of LRD, coffee growers from across the State, District Officials of LRD, officials from CBI also attended the occasion which was chaired by Renben Lotha, Additional Director, LRD.
