With an objective to encourage ginger growers and promote organic high quality ginger of the State to the world, the first ever state-level two-day Ginger Festival Cum Business Summit was inaugurated at Parbung in Manipur’s Pherzawl district on Friday.
The cultural extravaganza, products exhibition, seminar/workshop and musical night etc are the main highlights of the two-day festival.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Works Minister Th Biswajit, Forest and Horticulture Minister Th Shyamkumar, Manipur Tribal Development Corporation (MTDC) Chairman and Thanlon MLA Vungzagin Valte, Chief Secretary Dr J Suresh Babu and other high ranking officials of the State Government also attended the inaugural function.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Biren announced that a ginger processing unit having solar drier system and packaging units would be set up at Parbung at the earliest.
Announcing that the government has earmarked Rs 75 lakh for ginger farming at 200 hectares of land under Mission Organic at the area, he said out of this total amount, Rs 35 lakh would be provided as grants to farmers.
Mentioning about rich flora and natural resources of the State, he said that the State would host a World Bamboo Conference in February next year.
Around 100 delegates from different countries would participate in the conference, he added and asked the officials of Forest and Horticulture Departments and Deputy Commissioners concerned to have regular deliberations to make the conference fruitful.
As the ginger price fixed by the villagers of the district is higher than the market price, the government decided to contribute Rs 20 lakh to ensure profit to the villagers for this year, he said.
Rs 10 crore has been earmarked to construct cold storages at 13 different places of the State.
Forest and Horticulture Minister Th Shyamkumar said that Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department has been able to work closely and in better co-ordination with the people of different districts with the coming of the new Government.