Organic products of Manipur will be made available in Dubai, for which approval is likely to be given within two months, project director of Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA) K Devadutta announced on Sunday.
He was speaking at the two-day workshop on ‘Role of Media in Organic Farming in Manipur’, being held at Mountain Mountaineering Institute (MMI) Lamdan, Churachandpur district.
The programme was jointly organised by Khelen Thokchom Trust (KTT) and Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA).
Speaking at the launch, Devadutta said laboratory testing of black rice has been conducted and the results will arrive within six months. He further said that organic products need to be 100 per cent organic certified under United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in order to export them.
At present, the Central government has approved a total of 37,500 hectares of land for organic farming under MOMA, he said. Till 2016, farmers producers company (FPC) under MOMA has received around Rs 89 crore as turnover, he added.
He continued that after witnessing the growth of organic farming in Manipur, a state organic policy is likely to be implemented within one-two years under the advice of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
The ‘Phumdis’ of Loktak can be converted as organic fertiliser which not only promotes organic farming but they will also motivate the farmers inhabiting in and around the Loktak area while producing such organic fertilisers, he said.
Chairman of Poireiton Organic Farmers Producer company, Sagoltongba, Imphal West Chongtham Shanta said Manipur farmers will be in a vulnerable stage with the arrival of railway in Imphal. “If Manipuri farmers promote organic farming by acquiring proper knowledge, then they could avoid facing such fear and uncertainty,” he added.
Trustee cum advisor of KTT Irengbam Arun said that the media needs to impart the knowledge of organic farming to promote it apart from covering other news related to violence etc. in the state.
To motivate state journalists in imparting awareness of organic farming, fellowship programmes on writing articles on the benefits of organic farming need to be initiated, he added.
