Morung Express News
Zunheboto | October 27
As the nodal department for cultivation of coffee in the state, the Land Resources Department (LRD) has been putting in all efforts to revive the crop that was once a failed crop owing to numerous reasons.
From time to time, the officers along with technical teams visit farms and nurseries in different districts to get first hand information on the progress of coffee farming. On October 26, the Department officers led by Secretary, Y. Kikheto Sema IAS visited coffee farms at Phushumi, Litami Old and Litami New villages under Zunheboto district.
Interacting with the farmers, Kikheto assured them of a clear marketing channel since the Department had signed an MoU with a South African firm for 30 years during which the firm was willing to pay the same price of New York and London Stock Exchange rate to the farmers on the farm spot.
“Earlier, there was a lot of marketing problem which was one of the several reasons for the crop failure but there is no need to worry now as far as marketing your product is concerned,” he encouraged the farmers.
Kikheto informed that the Coffee Board of India has agreed to provide maintenance fund to the farmers during the first two years of coffee plantation.
The farmers also shared their experience of the coffee plants bearing lesser beans than other years and sought advice and support from the authorities. The technical officers attributed the problem to excessive rain and root rotting fungal infections and Stemborer pest infestations. LRD Director, Hoto Yeptho, however, said that the officers were studying on how best to tackle the problem
A group of 11-students from Mewar University, Rajasthan are on a 3-month field visit to Litami New village at the coffee farm of GB, Kakuto as part of their Rural Agriculture Work Experience.
The LRD officers interacted with the agri students comprised mostly from Eastern Nagaland and encouraged them to pass on the experience and knowledge gained to the farmers in their respective areas. Besides, coffee farm, the students are also visiting jhum cultivation, tea cultivation and other farming.
A host of LRD Directorate officers and district officers accompanied the Secretary and provided tips to the villagers on coffee farming.
