MLA and NSAMB vice chairman S. Chuba Longkumer inspecting the machineries installed at the NSAMB establishment on Thursday, May 9. (Morung Photo)
DIMAPUR, MAY 9 (MExN): MLA and vice chairman of Nagaland State Agriculture Marketing Board (NSAMB), S. Chuba Longkumer has called for strengthening linkages between producers and the market. Interacting with NSAMB staffers, Thursday in Dimapur, Longkumer said that due to lack of proper linkage between farmers and the market, the agriculture sector in the state has remained stagnant, failing to make any headway in the marketing aspect.
With enough fertile land and 80 percent of the state’s populace engaged full-time in farming activities, agriculture is more or less a culture here. On the contrary, Nagaland is importing food grains and vegetables from outside, he said, while adding that it is due to poor marketing. Poor communication and no proper linkage between important commercial centres (read poor infrastructure) and the place of production is also acting as a great roadblock, he said
“No doubt, we produce a lot of vegetable commodities but we do not know how to sell (the produce) and to preserve it,” he said. On the other hand, agricultural produce from Nagaland has high marketing potential for its organic properties.
Finding ways and means to close the gap must be the goal must be the goal, he said, while stating, “Let us make it a joint venture to change.”
The NSAMB with 18 Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMC) under it, set up all over the state, has a number of constraints hampering its activities. According to a report presented to the NSAMB vice chairman at the interactive meeting, it was stated that the expenditure incurred by the board far outweighs the fund allocated by the government. At present, it receives a grant of Rs. 100 lakhs from the government. On the other, the establishment requires no less than Rs. 180 lakhs to fund its varied activities, inclusive of the establishment cost, the report said.
Non repayment of loans to the Board by the APMCs, shelving of training programmes for entrepreneurs and cancelling of study tours for its staffers due to fund constraint were some of the problems highlighted. “The board is facing financial constraint even to pay 45 lacs to the 18 APMCs as grant-in-aid for maintaining their (respective) establishments.” “Under such circumstances the Board will certainly face serious problems unless the state government takes up necessary steps to strengthen the NSAMB establishment by providing required funds.”
It further stated that the ‘service rule’ submitted to the government by the Board is yet to be processed.
