A delegation from the Central government visited the Unakoti district on Tuesday (May 30) and conducted meetings. The team also inspected organic farming and processing units in various areas of the district.
The delegation was part of the Project Management Unit of the “Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCD-NER),” under the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. Led by Mukund Murti, the team arrived in Kumarghat on Tuesday, May 30.
One of the key activities during the visit was a meeting held at the Kumarghat Agriculture Office, where the delegation met with officials from the State Agriculture and Horticulture departments, Farmer Producer Organizations, and local farmers’ representatives.
The meeting primarily focused on encouraging farmers to engage in organic cultivation. Discussions centered on the advantages and challenges associated with cultivating various horticultural products such as pineapples, turmeric, and ginger etc.
The participants also explored the potential for farming these crops and discussed strategies for marketing the products.
In addition to the delegates, prominent figures such as Deputy Director of the Agriculture Department, Soumen Nandi, and Deputy Director of the Horticulture Department, Bidyamohan Chakma, actively participated in the extensive discussions and interactions.
Following the meeting, the delegation visited multiple locations in Darchoi, situated within the Unakoti district, to gain a firsthand experience of ground-level organic farming. They inspected organic farming practices at several sites and evaluated the operations of processing units located in different local industrial clusters.
It is worth noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Central Sector Scheme titled “Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCD-NER)” in January 2016, aiming to bolster organic farming practices across the country.
The scheme, which falls under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), seeks to develop certified organic production through a value chain approach. Its objectives include establishing linkages between growers and consumers, supporting the entire value chain from inputs and seeds to certification, as well as facilitating the creation of facilities for collection, aggregation, processing, marketing, and brand-building initiatives.