Nagaland Government has proposed to bring 50,000 hectares of land in the State under coffee plantation by 2030. Y Kikheto Sema Finance and Land Resources Secretary stated in a press release.
He said, “The State Government will provide the required amount from the Budget 2017-18.” Kikheto claimed the Government’s move would improve the economic condition of rural people, besides generating employment opportunities for unemployed youth.
The Secretary said he had already submitted a proposal in this regard to Coffee Board of India. This was when he visited the Coffee Board’s Secretary Srivatsa Krishna and Finance and Research Director Dr Y Raghuramulu at their offices on January 2 in Bangalore.
Kikheto stated that the Coffee Board of India had agreed to send an officer to Kohima to coordinate with the Land Resources Department.
The statement said that two other proposals – to set up Arabica research and training centre in Nagaland and to continue various coffee development programmes in the State – were also submitted to the Coffee Board of India.
He added that the officer will be attached with the department to assist in the development of coffee plantation in Nagaland.