This village in Manipur gets its first market shed to promote organic products

Kachai, September 3: Undoubtedly northeast is one of the most beautiful destinations nature has gifted India. Untouched by the Green Revolution, many parts of the northeastern region remain pure organic, where a very little amount of fertilizers and pesticides are used in agriculture. Knowing the potential of the organic products, a village in Manipur Kachai got their first rural market shed for selling organic products.

 

The market shed was constructed under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme. Horticulture and Soil Conservation Minister Th. Shyamkumar Singh recently inaugurated the first rural vegetable market shed under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme.

During the inauguration, the minister said, "Next year, we will construct one pack house for storing horticulture produces for the welfare of the farmers. I will also speak with the concern officers what kind of help can be given to the farmers of the lemons of Kachai village." The minister also reiterated that Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA) will provide pest and disease management materials to around 500 farmers of the surrounding areas including 200 farmers of Kachai.

Despite the lack of basic infrastructures, including transport and communication, villagers are working hard to improve their livelihood by selling not only lemons but different kinds of organic vegetables. Now, this new vegetable market shed has given the assurance of better income facility especially to women in the village.

It is noteworthy that the construction of a market shed was declared during the last Kachai Lemon Festival a year back. Kachai is one of the highest producers of lemons in entire northeastern India. These lemons are grown without the use of fertilizers or other chemicals.

Organic farming is basically a technique where farming is done without the use of fertilizers or other chemicals. This kind of farming relies on green manure, crop rotation, compost and biological pest control so as to produce chemical free foods.