Our Correspondent
Kohima, April 21 (EMN): As compared to the national average of 30%, North East Region accounted for 45% of post harvest losses in agriculture commodities amounting to the tune of more than Rs 92,600 crores which is doubled the budget allocated for the country at national level for agriculture.
This observation was pointed by Joint Director of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Nagaland, Dr. DJ Rajkhowa during the ‘Outreach awareness programme on cold-chain’ held at Hotel Japfü, Kohima, this morning. The programme was organised by Progress Harmony Development (PHD) Chamber of Commerce and Industry in association with National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD), Government of India. The programme is part of an initiative towards Prime Minister’s vision for doubling the farmers’ income by the year 2022.
Dr. Rajkhowa noted that despite India producing more than 252.23 million tonnes of agricultural produces and has enough in its buffer store at national level there is poverty and poorness in the country.While pointing out that NE is producing 45% of the country’s production in spices especially in ginger and turmeric, he said farmers are not getting the required benefits out of their production. The same applies to other produces like tomatoes, pineapple etc.
Dr. Rajkhowa said the region is blessed with good soil and climatic condition as such all types of crops can be grown all the year round. Unfortunately, he said due to lack of post harvest procession, storage, value addition and market establishment most of the produces are being wasted.
He pointed out that despite NE has the strength in horticulture, agriculture and livestock sectors, it is not in a position to reap the benefits from all those resources. In this regard, he underlined on the significance of cold storage chain in the region which needs to be accelerated in convergence with all the line departments and stakeholders.
Dr. Rajkhowa was hopeful of tremendous potential with the completion of the four-lane highway saying Nagaland will have direct access to Myanmar and other South East Asian countries for exporting the produces.
He said awareness need to be created among the people as well as good government policies and PPP mode in creating these types of infrastructure facilities in the near future.
Speaking as the chief guest, Commissioner and Secretary of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, MK Mero, while acknowledging the enormous potential of the State in the horticulture, agricultural and livestock, lamented on bad road connectivity, power supplies and lack of industry.
He was confident that with the completion of the 4-lane by 2020, road connectivity and power crisis in Nagaland will improved thereby improving the production and export of horticulture produces that is currently languishing on account of poor facilities.
While noting on the lack of cold chain storage in the State at the moment, Mero also stressed on the need to have a supply to link with bigger market to exports the State’s produces. In this regard, he maintained that ‘convergence’ of all line departments is key to development. He has sought suggestions, support and cooperation of all the concerned.
Director of PHD Chamber, Dr. Ranjeet Mehta observed that Nagaland has enormous potential for producing season and off-season agriculture crops, fruits and vegetable which are in high demand not only in the State but also adjoining states, all over the country and abroad.
Stating that farmers in Nagaland are left with very few options particularly with post harvest management practices, Dr. Mehta stressed on the urgent need for consideration of construction of cold storage in major production areas for safe storage of perishable commodities. Dr. Mehta said if the State has cold chain storage, farmers can store those and send products to the markets at higher value.
It may be mentioned that with a large number of global food and retail chains targeting the India markets, the government is also promoting cold chain facilities in order to reduce the amount of food wastage.
With the expected future development in road and rail infrastructure, along with the changing lifestyle of the Indian consumers — Indian cold chain industry is expected to grow at a high rate over the next three years.
With the objective to sensitise and educate market participants about the importance of cold chain management to help farmers increase their income, series of programme is being conducted in the country. Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh have been selected from the North East Region.
