KOHIMA, OCTOBER 17: Department of Land Resources, the nodal department for revival of coffee plantation, has requested the Coffee Board of India (CBI), Bangalore, for enhancing allocation of coffee seeds to the State.
A team of five officials from the department led by its Secretary, Y Kikheto Sema, during a meeting with officials of CBI, Bangalore, at its office today made known on the feasibility and viability of coffee plantation in the State.
At the meeting with CBI officials, Kikheto Sema mentioned that though there was vast coffee plantation in the State during the 1980s, it became a failed crop owing to lack of awareness, marketing and management problem. He, however, informed the officials that in a research conducted out of the 40 remaining hectares, it was found that Arabica species coffee grown in the state was one of the best.
He also informed the officials that 300 kgs coffee seeds allocated by CBI during 2015-2016 ran short with the high demand. He, therefore, requested CBI to allocate atleast 4000 kgs seeds to cover 4000 hectares adding that payment would be made promptly.Talking to this correspondent over phone, Sema said responding to the request, Director of Coffee Borad of India (Finance), Dr. Arati Devan Gupta, assured to look into the matter for enhancing coffee seeds allocation.
He said the Department was targeting coffee plantation coverage of about 50,000 hectares by 2030 against 230 hectares during 2015-16. He further stated that the department planned to cover 600 hectares more this year.
Sema has also requested assistance from the CBI to coffee farmers during the initial years of plantation for maintenance of nurseries and establishing Arabica Coffee Research Centre in Nagaland as the state is planning for coffee plantation on a large scale.
He has termed October 17 as a significant day for the Department stating that in parallel to their meeting at Bangalore, a team led by Additional Director, Renbenthung Jami, attended the annual rubber conference organised by Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries in Guwahati where a new clone developed by Rubber Board of India exclusively for planting in NE was released, while the other team led by Director, Hoto Yepthomi conducted a springshed training programme in Mokokchung.
The Secretary was accompanied by Deputy Director, C Vanchamo Ngullie, Officer incharge Coffee and four District Project Officers.
