Low chilling apple cultivation is making farmers in Northeast region economically self-sustainable, the Union Ministry of Development of North-East Region (DoNER) said on Tuesday.
Low chilling apple varieties have great potential in NER due to the favourable agro-climatic conditions of the North Eastern Region, the DoNER Ministry said in a release on Tuesday.
In order to tap the opportunity, the North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Society (NERCRMS), Shillong, launched the initiative to introduce and promote apple in the region in 2018 with financial support from the North Eastern Council (NEC) under the DoNER Ministry.
The ministry stated in a release that the initiative received an overwhelming response from the farming community and as well as from various government and non-government agencies.
Based on the success, the NEC continued their support and launched the second phase of the project Promotion of Low Chilling Apple Plantation in NER of India in the year 2020-21.
The NERCRMS, in collaboration with the Ziro Valley Charity Mission Society (ZVCMS), Arunachal Pradesh, organised a capacity building programme on the Management of Apple Orchard and Distribution of Organic Fertilizer and Bio-Pesticides in the ZVCMS Office in Lempia, Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh.
Accordingly, 23 beneficiaries were identified from various Community Based Organizations. They were trained on the scientific use of organic fertiliser and pesticides to enhance the quality of their harvest, the ministry stated.
Hibu Dante, Horticulture Development Officer, Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, presided over the training programme as the resource person. He encouraged the organizers to implement more such projects in the near future. The beneficiaries were provided necessary supplements for their orchards, the ministry added.
