Dimapur, Feb. 10 (EMN): Nagaland Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC), Y Kikheto Sema, inaugurated a mini soil testing laboratory at the office of SDO (Soil) in Noklak on February 10.
Speaking at the inaugural function, Kikheto informed that a more sophisticated soil testing laboratory with atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) is in the pipeline. He stated that a mini laboratory was commissioned for creating awareness among the farming community and for the benefit of the public of the district. He also added that the deputy director general of IMD-NE had assured to install agro-met AWS having a range of 50 km radius in Tuensang and Noklak districts.
He also encouraged all the officers posted in the district to work with dedication and leave a good legacy for posterity.
While observing that there is a price list for all imported commodities like rice, dal, chilli, potatoes, tomatoes etc., but not for locally organic products, he opined that it made it difficult for farmers to sell their produce at a fair price. In this regard, he requested the district administration of Noklak to initiate and bring out the price list for all the agriculture produced in the district and set an example for the other districts.
He further thanked the deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police of Noklak for tirelessly working for the welfare of the farming community in the district.
Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner of Noklak, Hiazu Meru, expressed happiness for bestowing new facilities that would be beneficial for the farming community. He also requested the department to demonstrate the soil testing in the next DPDB meeting to create wide awareness among the technocrats and policy-makers as well.
The superintendent of police, in her short speech, thanked the nodal officer for bringing the soil testing facilities, while the additional director of Agriculture, BN Phom, stated that with availability of soil testing facilities the Soil and Water Conservation department has become the nucleus of all agri and allied departments.
A technical report was presented by state nodal officer of Meteorology, K Khekiho Shohe.
Later, in a meeting of the agri and allied department in the office of the deputy commissioner, Kikheto stated that 2023 would be the International Year of Millets.
Seeing the potential and abundance of millets in the region, the APC advised the allied departments, district administration and NGO to give efforts for millet cultivation.
Accordingly, the meeting resolved to give effort on cultivation of Job’s tears and perilla seeds in the district.
