LONGLENG DMC MEETING ON "CENTRAL SECTOR SCHEME FOR FORMATION AND PROMOTING OF 10000 FPOs"

Longleng District Monitoring Committee meeting on "Central Sector Scheme for Formation and Promotion of 10000 FPOs, was held on 12th May 2023 at Deputy Commissioner Office, Longleng.

Deputy Commissioner Longleng, Dharam Raj, IAS briefed the house on the objective of the meeting. Project Head, Bhaskar Parnt briefed the house that M/s Doric Multimedia Pvt. Ltd has been assigned one FPO each in Longleng Block, Tamlu Block, and Sakshi Block. Doric Multimedia Pvt. Ltd would provide Technical support to these FPOs.

Considering the hilly nature of the areas it was emphasized that a minimum of 100 farmers should be enrolled, a minimum of 100 farmers should be enrolled per FPO to ensure viability and effectiveness. He also told the house each FPO shall have a Board of Directors consisting of ten members, including a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and an accountant. The FPOs shall be registered under the Producer Company Act. The committee acknowledged the importance of competent leadership and financial management for the success of FPO.

The committee discussed the primary and secondary crops to be emphasized by each FPO. It was agreed upon that Longleng Block will focus on ginger cultivation, Tamlu Block on Coffee production, and Sakshi Block on Maize/mustard Cultivation. Additionally, the committee recognized the potential of other secondary crops which could complement the primary crops.
Longleng Block - (Crops): Pineapple, Litchi, Orange, Coffee, Rubber. Tamlu Block - (Crops): Betel vine, Areca nut, lime, large cardamom. Sakhi Block - (Crops): Ginger, Colocassia, leafy vegetables.

Furthermore, the committee acknowledged the commendable ginger cultivation being carried out by a group of approximately 40 households in Hukphang and Lingtak. It was recommended that this group be converted into an FPO, recognizing their expertise and potential for further development.

The committee deliberated on the challenges faced in the district, including the lack of processing units, cold storage facilities, and logistical issues. However, there was optimism that Doric Multimedia Pvt.Ltd would play a vital role in addressing these challenges and bridging the existing gaps through their technical support.

The committee agreed that the District Agriculture Office should collaborate with Doric Multimedia Pvt. Ltd to identify the primary and secondary crops for each FPO. These crops will be finalized in the upcoming meeting.

The meeting concluded with a sense of purpose and determination to promote sustainable agricultural practices and enhance the socio-economic condition of the farmers in Longleng district.

(Manjong Phom IA, Longleng)