Paddy crop cutting prog held

KARSINGSA, 4 Nov: Fifty-one participants, comprising farmers, ADOs, AFAs and BTM/ATM of the ATMA, took part in a ‘field day-cum-crop cutting programme’ organised at the Papum Pare Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVK) farm here on Friday.

“The programme was aimed at showcasing the technology on varietal performances of newly released National Rice Research Institute variety, namely, CR Dhan 310, Assam Agricultural University release variety Numoli, and black rice from Manipur,” the KVK informed in a release.

At the beginning of the programme, KVK Head Dr Bangkeng Perme asked the participants to avail the benefits of the programme, while District Agriculture Officer Maze Piel highlighted the KVK’s activities “and its role and function in transfer of technologies developed by agri-allied institutes of the country to farmers’ field (lab to land), after conducting demonstration and trials of the release technology locally.”

He stress on the importance of coordination among the agriculture and allied departments and the scientists of the KVK “for the betterment of the farming communities.”

Animal Husbandry, Veterinary & Dairy Development Joint Director Dr Danjan Longri commended the KVK for organising the programme, and encouraged the participants to “keep few dairy animals for milk purpose as well as to use the cattle manure in their field for better crop production.”

Agronomy scientist Tadang Meena made a presentation on “the background and technology details of the standing paddy varieties, viz, CR Dhan 310, Numoli and black rice,” the KVK said.

Meena informed that CR Dhan 310, a high-protein, nutrient-rich rice variety, “is a biofortified crop variety which has been released at the national level by the ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, Odisha.”

The participants were later taken to a paddy field and given “hands-on training in crop cutting experiment,” the KVK said.

Farm Manager Dr Nabam Gama demonstrated pedal and cycle operated paddy thresher for the participants.

A cycle-operated paddy thresher was handed over to Karsingsa-based progressive farmer Bengia Riddik, “in order to boost his enthusiasm in farming sector,” the KVK said.