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Dimapur, Dec. 8 (EMN): Minister for Agriculture and Co-operation, G Kaito Aye, on Tuesday asserted that the number of producers in Nagaland should be increased to accommodate the buyers from outside the state in order to reach out to the national and international markets.
The minister stated this at the inauguration programme for Organic AC Market at Nagaland State Agricultural Marketing Board complex, 4th Mile in Dimapur on December 8.
He stated that even though there is market in the district, there are 'limited producers'.
Aye urged the state marketing board to be active, responsible and to take care of the assets and also encouraged the farmers for double cropping.
The minister appealed to be responsible and spread awareness to the farmers to promote their produce for self-sufficiency. He also advised the department to increase the capacity of production and to come forward with concepts and suggestions to move forward.
At the event, the minister also laid down the foundation stone for construction of a farmer's hostel, which will accommodate more than hundred farmers from different districts and states while they transport their product.
Aye added that the farmer’s hostels would be completed within one year in order to strengthen the farmer community.
Speaking at the occasion as special guest, Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC), Nagaland Y Kikheto Sema said that it was a privilege to see something new happening in the state and appreciated the Agriculture minister for the initiative, which was taken forward by the Government of India under the Rashtra Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) scheme during 2019-20.
Sema opined that it was time for the Agri and allied departments to come together to focus on one mission, that is sustainability of the people. He added that as there is 'no scope for large and medium scale industry in the state, the only way out is Agri-allied department and therefore it is necessary to create awareness in the minds of the people to opt for integrated Agri-allied settled farming.'
He said that for the last one year, the government has been providing grand-in-aid of INR 1 crore to the board and with the launch of the market, Sema opined that with this kind of infrastructure, the board would be self-sufficient.
The APC also informed that a daily organic market is in the pipeline within the complex to provide employment opportunities to the unemployed young people.
A brief report on the construction by NSAMB chief executive officer G Ikuto Zhimomi said that the total project cost was INR 948 lakh, approved and funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, government of India, under CSS as RKVY-additional grant during 2018 to 2019.
Zhimomi added that the total area of the facility was 42230 sq.ft, which includes AC daily market, cold storage area of 100 MT capacities in two chambers (1000-5000), collection, grading and packing area and mini-park and water fountain.
The chief executive officer informed that the AC market and cold storage would run by uninterrupted power supply from solar energy of 63 KVA capacities, DG power of 100 KVA and grid power supply.