Parliamentary Secretary for CAWD, T Torechu (in cap) and DC Kiphire, Kesonyu Yhome, visiting the stalls during the “Apple Festival 2012” held at Thanamir village on Sept 11.
Ashikho Pfuzhe
Kiphire | September 16
It’s raining apples this time of the year in a small village nestled on the foot of Mount Saramati, the highest peak in Nagaland.
Thanamir village, situated 39 kms from Pungro town in Kiphire district, hosted the third “Apple Festival” on September 11 to celebrate the abundant apple harvest, a nutritious fruit famed for keeping doctors away if eaten daily.
The rows of apples put up for display and sale disappeared in no time as visitors and neighbouring villagers jostled to buy the apples sold at throw away price of Rs. 25 per kilo.
Parliamentary Secretary for CAWD, T Torechu, who inaugurated the festival, said Thanamir village is well on its way to become the state’s “Apple village” and a major tourist attraction, which would boost the economy of one of the most interior and backward districts bordering Myanmar.
Torechu who also represents 60 Pungro assembly seat said the success story of Thanamir apple is also in line with DAN Government’s vision of food sufficiency for all by 2020. He said chief minister Neiphiu Rio had toured almost all interior villages to know firsthand the condition of the villagers and reminded the villagers that Rio had even come to Thanamir on foot a couple of years back when there was no approach road to the village.
Torechu said the state horticulture department in partnership with Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) was working towards planting apple saplings in the entire Saramati range. This would give a tremendous economic boost to villagers of the area, he said.
The parliamentary secretary informed that NBCC aided by state government is constructing a multi-utility building, which can also accommodate tourists and visitors, in the village. Torechu also assured construction of a cold storage by next year. He however said the success of the apple mission would depend on hard work and dedication of the villagers.
As part of the festival, the horticulture department also awarded certificates and cash incentives to apple farmers, which were given away to farmers by Mrs. Torechu, lady wife of the parliamentary secretary.
Deputy Commissioner Kiphire, Kesonyu Yhome, in his address said that though records say that 70% Nagas are farmers, yet the state was importing majority of food products from other states. Stressing on hard labour, the DC also said that apple farming should not be confined to Thanamir alone but extended to neighbouring villages.
Kiphire District Horticulture Officer, Senka Jamir, said the department along with NBCC and villagers was on a war footing to boost apple production in the state. He informed that apart from the approximate 2000 old apple trees in Thanamir village bearing fruits, around 125 hectares in the area including 80 hectares in Thanamir village have been covered under apple plantation during the last three years (2010-2012)
Each hectare has approximate 400 apple trees. The horticulture was of the view that by 2016, Saramati region is likely to see an apple revolution.
The history of apple in this tiny village dates back to 1979 when an Assam Rifles jawan posted in Thanamir gifted three apple saplings to a villager who planted the saplings in his backyard and later distributed grafts to fellow villagers.
Now every household in this picturesque village has an apple tree either in the courtyard, backyard or kitchen garden.
