KOHIMA, Aug 11 - Nagaland having a favourable land for coffee farming would be undertaking plantation of 64 lakh coffee seedlings during this current year. Disclosing this during a training programme on coffee plantation here, Director of Land Resources Department, Hoto Yeptho said as nodal department of the Government for coffee plantation in the State, the department would be giving seven lakh coffee saplings to the coffee farmers throughout the State.
The coffee saplings, provided by the Coffee Board of India (CBI) to Nagaland, has increased from 300 kg to 620 kg in 2016 and 2400 kg this year, which comes to about 64 lakh seedlings.
Yeptho informed that the survey conducted by Coffee Board of India has graded Nagaland soil and weather condition very favourable for coffee, while the department has entered into an agreement with South African-based coffee company �Noble Cause� for export of all coffee produced in the State.
Yeptho encouraged the local people to take up coffee farming with all earnestness in order to yield self-sustainable income and enhance economy. He also urged them not to try to demand for subsidy alone but labour hard to yield the fruit.
�Let us join hands together to grow coffee and enhance the economy of the State in general,� Yeptho appealed.
Joint Director (Research) for Coffee Board Dr C G Anand expressed the hope that the persistent effort of the department will not only increase coffee plantation in Nagaland, but will produce the finest of coffee to put the State in the coffee map of the world.
District project Director, Dr Menuosietuo Tseikha, informed that Kohima is presently leading the State in planting coffee with 7.5 lakh seedlings planted since 2015 while another 7 lakh seedlings would be planted in 304 hectares of land during this current year. � PTI
