Spicy: Manipur’s first ginger festival looks to worldwide promotion

Our correspondent

Imphal, April 20 (EMN): To encourage ginger growers and promote high-quality organic ginger of Manipur across the world, the first ever state-level ginger festival and business summit was inaugurated at Parbung in Manipur’s Pherzawl district on April 20 Friday.

The cultural extravaganza, products exhibition, seminars and workshop besides a musical event etc. are the main highlights of the two-day festival.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Works Minister Th Biswajit, Forest and Horticulture Minister Th Shyamkumar, Manipur Tribal Development Corporation chairman Vungzagin Valte, Chief Secretary Dr J Suresh Babu and other high ranking officials of the Manipur state government attended the inaugural function.
Speaking during the occasion, Biren Singh announced that a ginger processing unit with a solar drier system and packaging units would be set up at Parbung at the earliest.
Announcing that the government had earmarked INR 75 lakh for ginger farming in 200 hectares of land as part of the mission, Biren Singh said that out of the funds, INR 35 lakh would be a grant to farmers.
Mentioning the rich flora and natural resources of the state, the chief minister said that the state would host a world bamboo conference in February next year. Around 100 delegates from different countries are expected to participate in the conference, he said. He has asked officers of the Forest and Horticulture departments and the deputy commissioners to regularly deliberate to make the conference fruitful.
As prices of ginger set by the villagers of the district was higher than the market price, the government has decided to contribute INR 20 lakh to ensure profit to the villagers for the current year, he said. INR 10 crore has been earmarked to construct cold storages at 13 different places of the state, it was informed.
Forest and Horticulture minister Th Shyamkumar also spoke during the event. He said that the Horticulture and Soil Conservation department had been working closely with the people of the districts since the new government was instated.