Bishnu Rana

TEZU, Jun 20:  The Lohit District Administration with support from the Central and State governments has launched a mission to promote the district’s organic produce though BIOFACH, provide encouragement to the opium growers to take to alternate seasonal vegetables and other commercial crops farming and thereby double their income through exposure to international marketing standards including the online mode.
As a part of the endeavour, upliftment of the horticulture & allied sectors is being stressed to hike the produce of the marginal farmers through small land holdings. 
Giving details on it, DC Lohit Prince Dhawan said that this is the first of its kind initiative in the horticulture & allied sectors by adopting the  Farmer Produce Organization (FPO) mode. “In this system the selected farmer himself will be the FPO and he will acquire 1 hectare of land where inter-cropping or mixed cropping will be practiced. Namely, oranges, areca nut, pineapple, banana, papaya, ginger, black pepper, turmeric, large cardamom and aromatic & medicinal plants will be prioritised,” DC informed.
“Horticulture gives higher yield & income to the farmer but there is little input or protection mechanism against the surplus produce. Under this system we will educate the farmers to opt for scientific and modern methods of farming, replacing the subsistence and traditional practices. Necessary guidance and technical knowhow are being extended by the District Agriculture Development Society (DADS) and KVK," DC  added, reiterating the motto to create Lohit as an emerging centre of horticulture. 
A progressive farmer and CEO of the FPO from Wakro Circle, Solemso Ama while sharing his past ordeal in farming said that the new FPO concept has brought  hope among the farmers since the marketing aspect will be taken care of.  “Under this scheme we don’t have  to face risks  as the DADS and allied FPO will guide us on comprehensive marketing of the produce,” Ama hoped. 
While narrating his interest in horticulture, Bulung Tindia, a progressive orange farmer & FPO of Changliang Village said that he has been consistently producing oranges in a big way in a single cropping pattern but the new concept of integrated farming is much rewarding. “Papaya, banana, turmeric and black pepper growing commercially in large scale is a new concept and the department is giving everything, including the educational aspects to cultivate multi-cropping crops scientifically per hectare and others,” he added.
Registration of FPO, phase-wise training, selection of crops and land area, marketing pattern and its storage facilities would be made available by the FPO and the concerned department.  “FPO mode of farming is a completely new idea and we are working hard under the guidance of the DC,”  HDO S Rehman informed.  
The 3 Circles of  Tezu, Sunpura and Wakro have been brought under the mode with registration of 150 FPOs each in horticulture, agriculture, veterinary and fishery sectors and the farmers will be given freedom  to select the crops as per their choices.

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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

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