2nd State level ginger festival concludes

By Our Staff Reporter

IMPHAL, May 4: The 2nd State Level Ginger Festival 2019 concluded yesterday at Pherzawl district headquarters yesterday.

The festival was organised by the Ginger Festival organising Committee, Pherzawl under the aegis of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department’s Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA).

Pherzawl DC Mannuamching, MOMA Project Director K Debdutta and Pherzawl ADC S Thienlaljoy graced the opening function as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively on Thursday.

Former Minister Ngursanglur, Hmar Inpui president Joseph R Hmar and Sinlung Hills Council, Mizoram Deputy Chairman Lalbieknunga attended the closing function as presidium members.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, MOMA Project Director K Debdutta noted that Pherzawl produces largest quantity of ginger among all the districts of Manipur.

However, ginger produced in the district get rotten and wasted for want of proper market, he remarked.

He said that the State Level Ginger Festival was organised since last year with the main objective of preventing wastage of ginger and alleviate economic condition of ginger farmers.

This year, Pherzawl district produced 6 metric tonnes of ginger and this was higher than last year’s figure.

So far, 3 metric tonnes of ginger produced by Pherzawl farmers had been sold. At the rate of Rs 30 per Kg, ginger worth around Rs 9 crore has been sold so far, Debdutta said.

He said that MOMA facilitated Pherzawl farmers in selling ginger to companies or firms based outside the State directly or indirectly.

Under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare’s Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER), more than 100 farmers have been cultivating ginger and U-Morok over 1000 hectares in Pherzawl district using organic methods through MOMA.

Another 1000 farmers have been enlisted in the second phase of MOVCDNER, he said.

Apart from providing training and giving inputs to farmers, MOMA has been facilitating the process of organic certification and opening of bank accounts so that benefits of different schemes can be delivered farmers directly through DBT system, claimed the MOMA Project Director.

A free health camp was also organised as a part of the festival which also featured cultural dance and music programmes.