Source: The Sangai Express
Thoubal, January 19 2022: A site suitable for planting oranges has been discovered at Konaitong village which has the potential to integrate Tengnoupal into the map of citrus producing districts of the State.
Konaitong which is situated about 15 kms from Heirok in Thoubal district is already popular for the banana and other seasonal fruits and vegetables grown there.
The potential to develop Konaitong was authenticated by the success of one Dangshwa Kantrima Daniel Maring (34) from the village who had successfully grown about 200 saplings of citrus by setting an orange farm near his house.
Speaking to media persons, Daniel Maring stated that he started his farm in 2015 by planting about 100 grape saplings.
Saying that his venture into growing fruit was not always smooth as he failed to grow the grape saplings, the farmer maintained that he was introduced to two staff of the Horticulture Department by a neighbour.
Continuing that one of the Horticulture staff gave him about 700 fruit saplings freely, Daniel maintained that he, however, could not grow the saplings on time due to the 2015 ADC election.
The farmer then said that he planted about 200 saplings without knowing what he was growing a few months later in trial mode.
Maintaining that he managed to grow about 120 of the 200 saplings successfully, the farmer said that he realised the saplings to be citrus (oranges) after they started bearing fruits in 2018 .
"I came to know that the site is suitable for growing oranges as the saplings I planted started giving abundant fruits from 2020," the farmer said and added that he earned about Rs 40,000 in 2021 by selling about 500 kg of oranges.
Maintaining that he no longer envies Government jobs but wants to give his all effort in planting seasonal fruits, Daniel added that he is also planning to expand his farm to cultivate pineapple, papaya, banana, lemon etc too.
Daniel expressed keen interest to join a training programme on fruit production and take a loan from the Government machinery to expand his business.
"Promotion of permanent farming in hill districts is imperative to check deforestation and discourage jhum cultivation which takes years of preparation and is harmful to soil health," Daniel added.