Nagaland launched a cabbage rescue campaign targeting one lakh kilograms to support Phek farmers hit by Manipur market disruption
DIMAPUR — With hundreds of tonnes of cabbages at risk of rotting following the disruption of markets in neighbouring Manipur, the Entrepreneurs Associates (tEA), in partnership with Horticulture department, on Thursday launched a month-long campaign to rescue the produce by connecting farmers directly with consumers.
The initiative, launched by Horticulture and Women Resource Development Minister Salhoutuonuo Kruse, began with the sale of 30,000 kg of cabbages in Kohima and aims to market one lakh kilograms of produce from Phek district's Razeba Range to minimise losses suffered by farmers.
According to a press release, between 300 and 400 metric tonnes of cabbages are currently at risk of spoilage because the prolonged disruption of trade routes through Manipur has left farmers without access to their traditional markets.
Launching the initiative, Kruse said the Horticulture department had been exploring ways to support distressed cabbage growers when it approached Entrepreneurs Associates, which responded immediately.
Related story: Tonnes of cabbage rotting in Phek fields amid buyer shortage
She said Nagaland's farmers have increasingly been producing beyond local demand for markets outside the state, but the disruption in Manipur has severely affected exports, leaving growers with few alternatives.
Calling on the public to support the campaign, the minister said purchasing local produce was about more than buying vegetables.
"Selling cabbage today is not merely about selling vegetables. These are the vegetables that address hunger and keep us healthy. We must support and respect our local farmers who have worked hard despite harsh and unfavourable weather conditions," she said.
Entrepreneurs Associates CEO Neichute Doulo thanked the department for backing the initiative, pointing out that thousands of cabbages had been left without buyers because of the market disruption.
While acknowledging that the campaign alone cannot solve the crisis, Doulo said the organisation hopes to prevent 25-30% of the potential losses by creating alternative market access.
He also urged greater investment in commercial agriculture, saying Nagaland's fertile land and farming potential would remain underutilised unless farmers were assured reliable markets.
Doulo welcomed the government's commitment to establish a warehouse with a mini solar cold storage facility and agri-kiosks along NH-29, asserting such infrastructure would strengthen long-term market access for horticultural produce.
Recalling tEA's two-decade association with cabbage and potato farmers in Phek, Doulo said the organisation had been helping farmers overcome market barriers since 2003, including facilitating inter-district trade and providing cultivation loans.
He reminded that earlier interventions by the Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce and regional business networking initiatives had demonstrated that farmers readily increased production when assured of dependable markets.
"Markets should not be limited because of our lack of access," he said.