SEPPA, 7 Mar: More than 200 farmers from Papu Valley in East Kameng district and from Pakke-Kessang district participated in an awareness programme on improved jute cultivation conducted on Friday at the Ato Ringso convention hall in Lumdung near here.
The programme was jointly organised by the Jute Corporation of India Ltd (JCI) and the North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC) Ltd, in collaboration with the National Jute Board.
Speaking on the occasion, NEHHDC Managing Director Mara Kocho said that the corporation would enter into an agreement with the JCI to support effective implementation of jute-related schemes across the Northeastern region.
An expert team led by Kocho and a JCI team led by its General Manager Kalyan Majumdar highlighted the benefits and economic potential of jute cultivation, which has not previously been attempted in Arunachal Pradesh.
Officials from the JCI delivered a detailed presentation on various schemes under the National Jute Board, explaining the complete value chain, from cultivation to processing and marketing.
The JCI team encouraged the farmers to begin jute cultivation immediately, stating that the entire Papu Valley region is suitable for growing the crop. They also assured the farmers that the JCI would procure the entire jute produce from the area at the minimum support price fixed by the central government.
NEHHDC officials also delivered a presentation, encouraging farmers to rear eri silk cocoons alongside jute cultivation as an additional source of income. The corporation assured the farmers that it would procure the entire cocoon stock of eri silk at its facility in Baksa, Assam.
Local farmers, gram panchayat members, village elders, and youth representatives attended the programme.
Seppa WRD Executive Engineer Hanu Techi Tara took personal initiative in conducting the programme.
