Itanagar :

Coffee may soon replace tea in Kanubari if the present market trends continue as the tea growers are left at their receiving end, more so because the low price and shortage of laborers have seriously hit the farmers, said Chairman of Arunachal Pradesh State Council for Information Technology (APSCIT) and e-Governance Gabriel Denang Wangsu.

“Kanubari so far known for its lush green tea gardens may soon get recognition for coffee,” observed Wangsu, who is also the local MLA, while describing coffee as a suitable and sustainable alternative of the present day economy.

Addressing a team of officers from Coffee Board of India, State officials and public during various interactive sessions at Kanubari and Longhua village at Kanubari, the MLA said coffee offers scope for economic growth and helps in maintaining natural equilibrium, an official report stated.

Calling upon the people to seriously take up coffee farming as one of the sources of sustenance by following the farming techniques and procedures, Wangsu said that forest and horticulture departments too would soon raise coffee nurseries with the help of Coffee Board.

Joint Director of Coffee Board Dr C G Anand, who arrived at Kanubari from Bangaluru to study the feasibility of coffee cultivation, said that Kanubari area is suitable for growing robusta coffee and the success stories of other parts of India can be replicated in this region.

Describing the first coffee nursery raised by a local entrepreneur Lempho Wangjen as beginning of a new chapter, Dr Anand assured all technical support from his office. Necessary aids and advices for raising coffee plantation would be made available at the doorsteps of the farmers, he assured.

Deputy Director of Coffee Board, P P Choudhury said the 5-member team is here as a follow up of the initiation by the State Chief Minister Pema Khandu to encourage coffee cultivation in the State.

10-15 farmers would soon be selected to undergo on-field training outside the State before coffee saplings are distributed for plantation, he said.

“More than hundred farmers are already taking up coffee farming in Deomali area in Tirap district and many more are ready to venture into this cash crop,” he added.

source: http://www.sentinelassam.in / The Sentinel / Home> Arunachal News> Story / by The Sentinel, The Staff Reporter / November 15th, 2017

Dimapur (EMN):

Expounding that the end of education is not to seek government job, Secretary of Land Resources Development, Y Kikheto Sema has urged the students to engage in self employment and pass on the experience and knowledge to others.

Kikheto said this to students from Mewar University, Rajasthan, comprising mostly from Eastern Nagaland who were on a three-month field visit to the coffee farms. Kikheto met the students during his visit to coffee farms at Litami New and Old and Phushumi villages under VK area of Zunheboto district on October 26.

“With less other means of sustainable economy in Nagaland, which is basically agro and allied, he urged the agriculture students to go back to the villages and teach the farmers about the farming techniques.

Kikheto along with officials from the Land Resources Department (LRD) made the visit to get first hand information about the progress of coffee cultivation since the department has been made as nodal department for coffee plantation.

During the interaction, farmers revealed that the yielding was lesser compared to earlier years to which the officers explained that it was due to global climate change and the problem of root rotting fungal infections and Stemborer pest infestations. In this regard, the department assured to give some tips to handle the diseases.

Kikheto informed the farmers that an MoU has been signed with a South African firm, wherein the latter has assured to buy the products on the spot at the same rate of New York and London Stock Exchange.

He encouraged the farmers to do multi-cropping along with coffee which could sustain the farmers to a huge extent. Some of the multi-cropping, according to him, included black pepper, betel nut, local chicken rearing and honey bee.

During the course of the interaction, the Secretary informed that the Coffee Board of India (CBI) has agreed to provide assistance to the coffee farmers for the initial two years for maintenance. While stating that the maintenance fund might not be sufficient in the management of the farm, he encouraged the farmers to take full advantage of the CBI assistance.

The secretary informed that the department had requested fund from the State government to assist the farmers who will directly get the benefits in their account. Besides, he stated that the department would distribute coffee saplings free of cost as well as nursery maintenance cost.

LRD Director, Hoto Yeptho, said the department would thoroughly study the diseases affecting coffee and accordingly advise the farmers. “Any problem can be tackled with research and experience. So do not worry about it,” he said.

Other officers including joint director, deputy director, DPOs of Kohima and Zunheboto were part of the LRD team visiting the coffee farms.

source: http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com / Eastern Mirror / Home> News> Nagaland / by EMN / October 28th, 2017

Tura :

Coffee produced in the Northeast can bring remunerative returns if the beverage is properly packaged and branded.

This was pointed out by West Garo Hills deputy commissioner, Pravin Bakshi, while speaking at a daylong workshop on post harvest management and coffee marketing linkage at the Social Mobilisation Experimentation and Learning Centre in Dakopgre here on Tuesday.

Earlier, Bakshi inaugurated the workshop held with the objective to provide ideas and techniques to expand the coffee growing areas of the region and support farmers.

“The number of coffee growers is gradually rising in the region. Coffee, referred to as brown gold, is not bound by economies of market and depends on the quality of the beans. The beverage needs to be properly graded, branded and packaged for attracting higher returns,” the deputy commissioner said.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Coffee Board, Union ministry of Commerce and Industry, Meghalaya Basin Development Authority and Soil and Water Conservation department.

Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural function, V R G Gowda, the joint director (extension), Coffee Board, ministry of Commerce and Industry, spoke about the establishment of Coffee Board in the region in 1997 and the necessary requirements and climatic conditions required for growing coffee.

He informed that coffee was being cultivated in all the states of Northeast, particularly in Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam and Meghalaya. “There are about 1,700 coffee growers in Meghalaya,” he said.

R.R.B. R Thabah, the director (natural resources management), Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA), Meghalaya, informed the gathering about the purpose of the workshop and called upon the beneficiaries to work together as partners in order to promote agro-forestry in the region.

T N Gopinandhan, bio-chemist, Central Coffee Research Institute, Coffee Board, explained in detail about the methods of processing coffee beans for better quality.

Webstar D Shira shared his experience as a progressive farmer, talking about issues and challenges faced with regard to marketing linkages in the region besides introduction of multiple cropping in his farm land.

source: http://www.theshillongtimes.com / The Shillong Times / Home> Meghalaya / by Staff Correspondent / October 25th, 2017