Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang
Ukhrul, September 15 2021: Ukhrul is one of the top pork consuming districts in the state.
The demand for the meat remains high in the local market which is ever growing.
However, the district is continuing to rely heavily on pigs imported from outside for its local market.
This was the point of deliberation during an awareness cum training programme on piggery farming held at the 27 AR Campus in Ukhrul town on Tuesday, which aimed to spread awareness and educate the local farmers on the huge potential of the piggery sector.
Speaking on the occasion, 27 AR CO Rippon Bora observed that the demand for pork is huge in Ukhrul market but unfortunately the local production is too less to meet the growing demands.
Because of this, more than 90 per cent of the meat comes from Assam and other vegetarian states like UP, Haryana and Punjab.
"So our main aim is to set up a stable piggery sector in Ukhrul so that there is sufficient availability of pork meat which would ensure reduction in the price.
This way, Ukhrul will become self-reliant and piggery fanners will be well-off financially," he said.
The officer related how he developed his interest in piggery and how he also took loans from bank and set up his own piggery farm.
He said that during his two and a half years of stay in Ukhrul, he has noticed that almost every household in villages rears pigs but only for their household consumption.
"I have seen how every Tangkhul household is rearing pigs, feeding the best quality food and the cleanest water.
But it is done in a very traditional manner, so we want to impart the idea to the locals for commercialisation of piggery and to move beyond personal consumption," Bora said.
Coordinating the programme, SB1 Somsai Branch manager Thanngam Jelly informed that there is now integration of subsidy loans from SBI and Manipur State Co-operative Bank (MSCB) for farmers who want to set up their own piggery farms.
Back in 2019, the 27 AR had organised a similar training on piggery farming during which 20 local farmers were selected for 'on the job' training tour in Tejpur, Assam at Symbiotic Farm Pvt Ltd.
The trainees received professional training and technical certificates during the training tour.
Two of them are Jonathan Horam and Koireng Bjohn Shaiza, who have successfully set up their own piggery farms in the two years.
Around 30 farmers from Lunghar, Peh, Hoomi, Sihai Khunou and other villages attended the programme.