(Right) Director of Agriculture, A.Y. Ovung addressing the farmers at ATMA conference hall Dimapur on Friday. (Left) Some of the cane crushers on display. (Morung Photos)
DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 18 (MExN): Although a sum of Rs 209 crores has been set aside for loan purpose, none of the farmers in the state have approached the agriculture department to avail crop loans resulting in the department to divert the fund to other uses.
Director of Agriculture, A.Y. Ovung disclosed this at the distribution of cane crusher-cum-closing programme of 5 days farmers training on farm machineries at ATMA conference hall SDO (Agri) Agri office premises LRC colony Dimapur on Friday. He asked any interested farmers to approach their respective District Agriculture Officers or SDOs Agri for assistance in availing crop loans. He said that a farmer would be given a loan of Rs 1 lakh in the first year and the amount increased in the coming years based on their performances.
Ovung lauded the initiative of the agri department in conducting the training programme and emphasized on improving and conducting more of such trainings. He asked the farmers to disseminate what they have learnt during the training to fellow farmers as the main objective of the programme was enhancement of agri production. He said that the people needed to concentrate on rice bowel areas and that power tillers should also reach those areas. He rued the fact that none of the factories and mills in the state were properly functioning due to lack of sincerity.
Deputy Director of agriculture (machinery), Howoto spoke on the efficiency and capability of power tillers and encouraged the use of farm machineries. Admitting that most of the power tillers were not reaching the genuine farmers, he called for coming up with a strategy on how the farming machines could reach the right farmers.
Deputy Director of agriculture (sugarcane), Helie asked the beneficiaries to make proper use of the machineries and not to sell it off.
According to SDO (Store) Agriculture, Jacob Yanthan, who chaired the programme, the highest number of farming machineries was going to Phek followed by Kohima and Dimapur.
Few farmers who spoke at the programme were appreciative and thankful of the government’s initiative. They appealed the government to increase the number of training days as 5 days was insufficient to learn all the lessons imparted to them. The five-day programme was attended by 41 farmers representing all 11 districts.
Director of Agriculture, A.Y. Ovung disclosed this at the distribution of cane crusher-cum-closing programme of 5 days farmers training on farm machineries at ATMA conference hall SDO (Agri) Agri office premises LRC colony Dimapur on Friday. He asked any interested farmers to approach their respective District Agriculture Officers or SDOs Agri for assistance in availing crop loans. He said that a farmer would be given a loan of Rs 1 lakh in the first year and the amount increased in the coming years based on their performances.
Ovung lauded the initiative of the agri department in conducting the training programme and emphasized on improving and conducting more of such trainings. He asked the farmers to disseminate what they have learnt during the training to fellow farmers as the main objective of the programme was enhancement of agri production. He said that the people needed to concentrate on rice bowel areas and that power tillers should also reach those areas. He rued the fact that none of the factories and mills in the state were properly functioning due to lack of sincerity.
Deputy Director of agriculture (machinery), Howoto spoke on the efficiency and capability of power tillers and encouraged the use of farm machineries. Admitting that most of the power tillers were not reaching the genuine farmers, he called for coming up with a strategy on how the farming machines could reach the right farmers.
Deputy Director of agriculture (sugarcane), Helie asked the beneficiaries to make proper use of the machineries and not to sell it off.
According to SDO (Store) Agriculture, Jacob Yanthan, who chaired the programme, the highest number of farming machineries was going to Phek followed by Kohima and Dimapur.
Few farmers who spoke at the programme were appreciative and thankful of the government’s initiative. They appealed the government to increase the number of training days as 5 days was insufficient to learn all the lessons imparted to them. The five-day programme was attended by 41 farmers representing all 11 districts.
