Farmer 'strikes cash' with orange farming in Spt

Taorem Bishwajit
IMPHAL, Feb 21 : The role of a visionary individual in transforming society is profound, as such individuals inspire others to pursue new opportunities.
One such person is Abel Briam, an orange grower from Makuilongdi Part-III, located in Senapati district.
Abel (53) started his farm by planting 500 orange trees in 2018, and over time, his farm has expanded to over 1,000 orange trees.
He told The Sangai Express that he began growing oranges in Senapati with the support of the Horticulture Department, inspired by the popularity of Tamenglong oranges.
Abel mentioned that he also grows bananas and yongchak (stinky beans), but his main focus is on oranges.
Saying that farmers at his village were once discouraged from planting orange trees due to the long wait for fruiting, he noted that this perception has changed now, as they have seen him making decent profits from his orange farm.
Initially, Abel said that he earned around Rs 1 lakh per season from selling oranges.
He added that the profit has been steadily increasing over time.
Saying that he produced about 1.5 tonnes of oranges last season, Abel mentioned that he expects to produce even more once the over 400 new trees he planted begin to bear fruit.
There are no issues in marketing, he said and explained that he sells his produce with the support of the Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA).
However, Abel mentioned that the lack of experts in nearby areas is sometimes problematic, especially when there is a pest infestation, as he has to travel all the way to Imphal for assistance.
He added that he also sends photos to experts for assistance when needed.
Saying that some farmers from his village have also started growing oranges, he maintained that farmers from Oklong, a neighbouring village, have come to him for advice on planting oranges as well.
According to him, some people in Oklong used to plant poppies, but now the villagers want to switch to growing oranges.
Abel said that he will provide all possible assistance to farmers from his village or neighbouring ones who wish to grow oranges, including guidance on planting techniques and information on where to sell their produce.
The orange grower said that he expects to earn around Rs 1.5 lakh this season, despite facing some pest infestations.
Apart from oranges, Abel is also planting around 10 apple trees at his farm as a trial.
Athwan Malang (52), a resident of Makuilongdi who was inspired by Abel to grow oranges, said she has planted around 400 orange trees.
She shared that she switched to orange farming because planting rice or seasonal crops was not suitable for her.
Saying that some of her trees have started bearing fruit, she expressed her elation at seeing the results.
She also mentioned that she always goes to Abel whenever she needs guidance.
The story is written under the Award in Scientific Journalism Programme of CAU, Imphal
For further details, please contact Dr Indira Thounaojam, Information & Publicity Officer, CAU Imphal, at [email protected].