Minister for Planning & Parliamentary Affairs Nagaland, Neiba Kronu; Advisor, Horticulture, Mhathung Yanthan; and Agriculture Production Commissioner, Y Kikheto Sema, IAS at the Video Conference meeting with the Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar along with 13 other states on September 7. (DIPR Photo)
Kohima, September 7 (MExN): The quality of Naga Coffee is among the best and it is the States first agriculture product that has been exported for the last few years to the international market, Neiba Kronu told a meeting of 13 States along with the Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar on September 7.
So far about 10,000 hectare(ha) of coffee has been planted and Nagaland is targeting about 30,000 ha by 2030, covering throughout the length and breadth of the State, he said.
Besides, rubber is one of the commercial crops exported to other states, added Kronu, the Minister for Planning & Parliamentary Affairs, Nagaland at the Video Conference meeting with the Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar along with 13 other states.
The Minister was representing the Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture, who are currently on tour, a DIPR report informed. He was accompanied by Advisor, Horticulture, Mhathung Yanthan and Agriculture Production Commissioner, Y. Kikheto Sema, IAS.
Further highlighting export of agriculture products from Nagaland, Kronu said that despite the pandemic, the Agri and Allied Departments have had been organising several meetings and workshops.
A major consultative and buyer-seller meet, organised in partnership with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in Dimapur on March 15, was attended by the experts from within and outside the State, he informed.
Under the umbrella of Nagaland State Agriculture Marketing Board (NSAMB), market channels are opening up for export of local products to the metro cities under the brand name of “Naturally Nagaland,” the Minister said.
For the first time, the Naga King Chilli was exported to London on July 29 this year and others niche products such as Bamboo-shoot, Pineapple, Kiwi, Cardamom, Ginger, Sweet & Juicy Cucumber; Tree Tomatoes etc are in the pipeline for export, he added.
However, he said that the huge cost of transportation, both inside and outside the State, is a big challenge.
Kronu further highlighted various issues and suggestions on the agenda at the meeting.
On Agriculture Infrastructure Fund
As per the DIPR report, while appreciating the Union Government for introducing such important Scheme of AIF, it progress in the State has not been on expected lines as the lending institutions have been shying away from financing the farmers and entrepreneurs due to issues of collateral securities.
Accordingly, he requested the Union Government to help the State in creating more agriculture infrastructure in the State through Grant-in-Aids.
PM-KISAN and KCC
The Minister informed that as of August 31, 2021, a total of a total of 2,00,082 farmers from Nagaland has been benefitted from the scheme and an amount of Rs. 265.52 crore have been transferred to their accounts.
He further said that as of June 30, 2021, an amount of Rs, 223.54 crore have been extended to 35,959 Kissan Credit Card (KCC) beneficiaries by the banks covering all districts.
Digital Agriculture
The Minister told the meeting that Nagaland is yet to implement collection of Digital database of land records because of the State’s peculiar land–holding system.
However, the Department of Agriculture and Soil & Water Conservation Department, alongwith GIS Cell of the State is working out to implement the same, he maintained.
On oil palm plantation, he said so far it has covered an area of about 4623 ha along the foothill areas of Mokokchung, Wokha, Mon, Dimapur, Peren and Longleng and the Sate Government “is targeting only 15,000 Ha of wastelands for oil palm cultivation.”
The VC meeting was attended by 13 States – Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura; represented by Chief Ministers, Agriculture Ministers, and other officers.
The topics for discussion during the meeting included AIF, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Digital Agriculture, National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP), the DIPR report added.
