ROING, Feb 21: A Buyer-Seller meet to mark 50 years of Arunachal Pradesh and 36th Statehood Day celebration was held by the Department of Horticulture. MLA Mutchu Mithi and Deputy Commissioner Soumya Saurabh inaugurated the programme which was attended by farmers from the district and buyers from Assam. 

Mithi stressed on the importance of such programmes which would provide an opportunity for the farmers and buyers to interact and called for formation of farmers clubs which would work for the benefit of the farmers of the district. Stating that farmers were initially encouraged as they got good price for their products, he requested the buyers present to compensate the farmers for their hard work with fair rates. 

The MLA promised all possible help for anyone willing to take up agriculture and horticulture activities and said that the district had the potential to become the agricultural hub of Arunachal Pradesh.

DC Soumya Saurabh informed that the state government has been stressing on schemes in the Agriculture and Horticulture departments to ultimately make the farmers independent and make a sustainable future for themselves and the coming generations, without any dependence on government schemes. She also stressed on the need for the interaction between buyers and sellers, for the farmers to know about the market demands and work accordingly.

NERAMAC MD Manoj Das spoke on the potential the state had to take up floriculture/orchid cultivation alongside horticulture and agriculture. He also informed about the support and schemes provided by the central government in agriculture and allied sectors. He stressed on the need to develop marketing strategies, cold storage and cold chain facilities and value addition for products to get good rates. 

Progressive farmer Dature Muili encouraged farmers to take up new cash crops like Rambutan, Avocado etc on experimental basis alongside crops like Areca nut, which was suitable for the area and is low maintenance. Our land has great potential to grow horticultural crops but we need to focus on the welfare of the farmers, he added.

DHO Kuru Ama explained on the aims and objectives of the programme and informed that it was to create a communication linkage between buyers and sellers, for them to work out a marketing strategy of horticulture produce of the district.