Neisatuonuo Zhale and Neimezo Tachü addressing the press conference in Kohima on January 22. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | January 22
The 5th edition of Rüsoma Orange Festival 2026 will take place from January 30 to 31 at Rüsoma Local Ground. Rüsoma lies 10 km away from the state capital Kohima.
With this year’s theme ‘Abundance of Rüsoma,’ the organizer will be highlighting the importance and the celebration of the abundance of Rüsoma Oranges along with other agri and horticultural organic products and handicrafts of Rüsoma.
Addressing a press conference today at Vivid Lounge, Kohima, Neisatuonuo Zhale said that the festival will also feature other exciting activities such as cultural presentation, fun games and stalls for fast food, local cuisines, orange saplings etc.
Sources informed that the years 1941 and 1942 were expected to be the years in which the first orange tree was planted in Rüsoma.
Then, in 1986, Rüsoma was adopted and declared as a Gardening village. In 2020, it started the 1st edition of Rüsoma Orange Festival.
The festival aims to promote the welfare of the village, encourage rural entrepreneurship and to recognise the hard labour of orange growers and also to propagate the taste of Rüsoma Oranges.
The two-day long festival will take place under the aegis of the Rüsoma Village Council and various departments like Agriculture, Horticulture, Rural Development etc.
The inaugural function will be held on January 30 at 10:00 AM with H. Tovihoto Ayemi, advisor, Department of Tribal Affairs & Election as the Special Guest.
The inaugural function will be chaired by Kekhrie Pfukha while welcome address will be delivered by Visier Vimera, convenor, organising committee.
During the festival, depending on the salesperson and the quality of oranges, the price of oranges is fixed at an upper limit of Rs 140 per kg, and below .
The organizer will also provide facilities such as local guides for visitors who wish to visit the orange Orchards. Neimezo Tachii said that out of 570 households in the village, 470 households involve in orange farming at present.
The village is expecting to cover around100 hectares of orange orchard in six to seven years.
Last year, the village planted 4000 orange saplings in and around the village and anticipating a harvest of atleast 25 lakh fruits in six to seven years.
The annual income from sale of orange stands approximately Rs. 43 lakh.
Individually, some are earning more than Rs. 10 lakh annually and some at Rs. 3 to Rs. 4 lakh.
This year, we are expecting to generate Rs. 40-50 lakh in two days, the organizer said.
