ITANAGAR, Jan 12: With the aim of taking the state’s ‘Mission Organic’ target launched in 2017 a step further, Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday inaugurated the ‘Arunachal Fresh Food Products’ outlet here at the Civil Secretariat.
A pilot project of the Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board (APAMB), the outlet will retail organic and fresh vegetables and other food products of local farmers as well as from other Northeast states. Congratulating the APAMB and the Department of Agriculture, Khandu said the step is a major one in the context of tapping the rich agricultural potential of the state. “We have around 7 lac hectares of cultivable land. Under the ‘Mission Organic Value Chain Development Programme’ we have kept a target of developing 20000 hectares. Of these we have already acquired organic certification for around 5000 hectares. Hopefully, we will acquire certification for the rest 15000 hectares soon,” he informed.
The Chief Minister however pointed out that 20000 hectares is still meagre when the state has a potential of 7 lac hectares that can be transformed into organic mode. While urging upon all especially the Agriculture and Horticulture departments along with the APAMB to tap the full organic potential of the state in the next few years, he advised the field-level officers in the districts to become proactive and create awareness on the benefits of organic farming. Admitting the lack of market for the state’s farmers owing to the very low population density, Khandu informed that directions have been given to the concerned authorities to explore potential consumers like the Indian Army and central armed forces deployed in the state in large numbers. “I have personally informed the Central government about the armed forces becoming potential customers of local farmers and the authorities have shown keen interest. If we can tap the potential, our farmers will get a formidable market at the doorstep,” the CM informed

Suggesting that the APAMB can use its resources and district offices in reaching out to the farmers, Khandu affirmed the state government is taking the agri-horti sector seriously and to start with has kept all the agri-allied sectors like agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry under one ministry unlike in the earlier governments. This has triggered a concerted coordination among the departments and showing good results, he said while appreciating the leadership and commitment of Agriculture Minister Tage Taki.
Expressing confidence the outlet will be a major success that can be replicated in other cities and towns across the state, the Chief Minister assured budgetary support to further the ‘Mission Organic’ goal. Agriculture Minister Tage Taki, Home Minister Bamang Felix who incidentally is also a progressive farmer and has products from his farm for sale at the outlet, legislators Gabriel D Wangsu and Tana Hali, Adviser to CM Tai Tagak, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and other high-level officials were present during inauguration.
Meanwhile, CEO APAMB Okit Paling has informed that transactions at the outlet will be made through cashless mode only. CMO

---

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List