PASIGHAT, 22 Dec: Fifty-two Mandarin orange growers from different villages of Pasighat, Dambuk and Wakro areas of East Siang district, and from Namsai and Lohit districts, benefitted from a training programme on ‘Production and rejuvenation practices of declined Mandarin orchards’, organised at the College of Horticulture & Forestry (CHF) here in East Siang district on Tuesday.
East Siang SP Sumit Kumar Jha, who inaugurated the programme, advised the farmers to “promote cultivation of Mandarin in the area, as it has huge export potential,” and motivated the growers to “take up rejuvenation technology.”
East Siang SDHO O Gao addressed the issue of Mandarin decline, and said that “there is a need to demonstrate rejuvenation of declined orchards, especially in affected areas of Dambuk, Wakro, Ringing, and Yagrung villages.”
CHF Fruit Science HoD, Prof Lobsang Wangchu highlighted “the important technology available in alleviating the affected mandarin orchards,” while experts from the CCRI, Nagpur, the RRCI, Assam, and the CHF, Pasighat apprised the participants of the important horticultural practices relevant to the area; the role of natural farming system approach in Mandarin cultivation; important species and varieties of citrus; importance of quality planting materials and choice of right rootstocks; and rejuvenation of declined orchards and management of insect pests and diseases.
The farmers were also shown how to prepare Bordeaux mixture, and were taught about “the approach for preparation of planting materials using modern method of micro-budding.”
Starter kits and knapsacks comprising pruners, secateurs and biopesticides were later distributed among the farmers.
