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Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 7 (EMN):Minister of Planning and Coordination, Land Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, Neiba Kronu, has encouraged coffee farming in order to boost the rural economy in the state.
Kronu stated this while addressing a virtual conference as guest of honour on “The coffee challenge- opportunities, development and production planning in Nagaland,” organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with the Planning and Coordination, and Land Resources department on July 7.
Kronu advocated for cash crops in place of the traditional jhum farming in order to conserve the environment. He recalled his experience, which he undertook during his tenure as the minister of Horticulture in 2013, with a mission survey, “What Nagaland can give to the outside world.”
Kronu claimed to have toured the markets of some countries with the purpose to study on the viability in order to promote spices, coconut, cashew, coffee and others.
“At that point of time, the coffee board and we couldn’t understand each other better like now, due to communication gaps,” Kronu said. The minister recollected how he renewed his interest to study about coffee and undertook a tour to Brazil again to visit the coffee farm and its research centres, being the largest coffee producing country followed by a visit to Myanmar.
Kronu said, “Coffee was not a failure but coffee board was a failure erstwhile in 1980s,” stating it was due to the inability for linkages of the market that discouraged the farmers.
He maintained that coffee is a plant conducive for hot and cold climate and can be grown in shade that can protect the environment and improve the economy and livelihood of the people.
While stating that everything is grown naturally in Nagaland, which is considered as one of the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world, Kronu stated that Nagaland has huge potential even for medical plants considering the rainfall that it receives for six months and as it is considered a 'young soil.'
He asserted, “Time will come where we have to expose all these things to the outside world.”
Stating that coffee is the second commodity in the world market next to crude oil with huge demand, he stressed on the need to plant the same saying, “It is time for us to produce coffee.”
The minister, while reiterating the government’s decision to set up a coffee shop in every district, maintained that post Covid-19, the Nagaland economic strategic group would also be giving it emphasis for the plantation.
Reiterating on the seriousness of the state government to promote coffee farming, Kronu stated that he along with the chief minister are taking up the issue in full swing to encourage the farmers. He further assured to transform Nagaland into a ‘land of coffee and honey.’
In this regard, he appealed to the coffee board to provide the best seeds to the people.
Meanwhile, the deputy director of Land Resources, Puvil Kikhi, reminded the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Coffee Board of India in 2015 for the promotion of coffee farming in the state.
During his presentation on the status and prospect of coffee plantation in Nagaland, he maintained that the government aims to develop 50,000 ha for coffee plantation in the state by 2027, while adding that coffee could be grown in 62 percent out of the total geographical area of the state.
He stated that the department had grown upto 7,992 ha till 2019-2020.
The official stated that coffee plantation could be inter-cropped with other fruit trees under various natural conditions to derive its optimum production. He stated that coffee could be grown at an altitude of 1800 metre above the sea level.
Kikhi also maintained that the government aimed to produce the best organic coffee in the world.
Among other renowned officials present on the occasion included Dr. Tasveem Ahmed Shoeeb, joint director of Coffee Board of India NER, Guwahati, and PP Choudhoury, deputy director of Coffee Board of India, Jorhat.