Workshop on solar-based cold storage held in Kohima

DIMAPUR — A workshop on the uses and benefits of solar-based cold storage for remote areas of Nagaland was organised by the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) Limited under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) with support from the Directorate of Horticulture on Wednesday.

According to a DIPR report, the event took place at the conference hall of the Directorate of Horticulture, Kohima, where the director of the department, Meyasashi, highlighted the evolution of horticulture in Nagaland over the past 20 years.

Noting the significant increase in surplus production of items such as pineapple, apples, oranges, bananas, and vegetables, attributing it to various initiatives and schemes implemented by the Government of India and the state government, he emphasised the need to address the challenges of marketing and preservation faced by the surplus production, particularly considering the perishable nature of fruits and vegetables.

The director stressed the importance of post-harvest management interventions and maintained that the department is focused on exploring different technologies suitable for Nagaland to reduce post-harvest losses.

He also introduced the concept of utilising solar energy for cold storage, water pumps, fruit dryers, etc., considering the frequent power fluctuations in remote areas of the state.

During the technical session, business officials from Ecozen Cold Storage Solutions, Abhirup Basak and Rohit Bhartwaj, elucidated the use and benefits of solar-based cold storage systems. Also, Anjal Kr Dutta, deputy general manager of agribusiness at NERAMAC, conducted a session on post-harvest management.

The workshop saw participation from farmers across the state, officials from the Horticulture department, and representatives from NERAMAC Limited.