Govt to encourage new orange orchards, expert team visits Jampui Hills
# Prasenjit Chakraborty
Attempt for revival of famed orange orchards in Jampui Hills under North Tripura.
If everything goes as per the plan, the Jampui Hills would return to its glory with orange cultivation as a plan for new plantations is already afoot.
The government would encourage new plantations while steps would be taken for proper maintenance of the existing orchards to revive the orange cultivation, said an official.
“The climate including temperature and humidity in Jampui Hills is in favour of the orange cultivation. But, as the presence of parasites is there, the growers need to have more knowledge on the controlling measures and maintenance of the orchards,” Director of Horticulture Phani Bhusan Jamatia told Tripura Times.
He also said that steps would be taken for production of quality budded seedlings through nurseries. According to Jamatia, there is around 70-80 acres of land where new plantations could be initiated.
Meanwhile, many of the growers have already shifted their interest from orange cultivation to areca nut plantation for livelihood since the traditional orange cultivation in the Jampui Hills faced destruction following various reasons like deforestation and parasite attack for years. But some people are still there who are interested in orange cultivation.
As the government is eyeing to revive the glory of the Jampui Hills, a four-member team of citrus experts led by Dr. Dilip Ghosh, Director of Central Citrus Research Institute, Nagpur recently visited the place, Jamatia said.
They had interactions with the orange growers and arranged one-day training for them.
Three other members of the expert team were Dr. A.K. Das, Principal Scientist (Plant Pathology), Dr. A.A. Murkute, Principal Scientist (Horticulture), and Dr. G.T. Behere, Principal Scientist (Entomology).
After the two-day inspection on April 27 and 28 last, the expert team revival of orange cultivation in the Jampui hills was possible and they had also suggested the growers to adopt a more conscious, active and scientific way.
One-day training programme was jointly organized at BAC Hall, Jampui Hill Block, by the Central Citrus Research Institute, Nagpur and the Directorate of Horticulture and Soil Conservation on April 28 last. BAC Chairman Biakchungnunga was present as the chief guest. Dr. P.B. Jamatia, Director of Horticulture and Soil Conservation, was present as the special guest.
The Agri experts of North Tripura Krishi Vigyan Kendra and sixty orange cultivators took part in the training programme.
The experts also visited orange cultivation area at North Barmura village council under Killa Block on April 29. They interacted with the local orange cultivators in a workshop.
MLA Rampada Jamatia, Director of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Dr. P.B. Jamatia, other officers of the department and 50 orange growers were present. The experts discussed on maintaining orange nurseries, caring for plants in pre and post rainy spell and on other important matters. (Courtesy: Tripura Times)
#Prasenjit Chakraborty may be contacted at [email protected]
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