Chakhao Monitoring Committee formed

IMPHAL, Jul 24
A Chakhao Monitoring Committee has been formed by the experts of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Central Agricultural University (CAU), Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA) and Consortium of Producers of Chak Hao (Black Rice) Manipur to produce better quality Chak Hao seeds.
The above statement was made by Khaidem Sarat, secretary of Consortium of Producers of Chak Hao (Black Rice) Manipur during a press meet held at the conference hall of Agriculture Department at Sanjenthong today.
He appealed to the local entrepreneurs and marketing agents to use Geographical Indication (GI) tag while exporting Chak Hao since Chak Hao got the GI tag in April, 2020 owing to financial support extended by the nodal officer of Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCD-NER) and from the relentless support of CSOs and locals.
To produce better quality seeds, nodal officer of MOVDC-NER have financed an amount of Rs 7.10 lakhs to ICAR for the first phase and there is already a directive to finance a sum of Rs 5.25 lakhs for the second phase, he added.
Kh Sarat said that it will take three years to produce such seeds and he stressed on the need to produce better quality Chak Hao seeds as there are high chances that the exotic Chak Hao may perish.
A formal notification will be issued soon in connection with the norms of GI tag will be issued soon, he added.