Dimapur: A central team conducted a feasibility study on arecanut cultivation in Ngwalwa Arecanut Village in Nagaland’s Peren district on Tuesday, officials said on Wednesday.
The team was led by Babulal Meena, Deputy Director, Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development (DASD), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Calicut, Kerala, along with Dr. A.K. Sit, Senior Scientist, CPCRI, West Bengal, and Leichombam S. Singh, Scientist, CPCRI, Guwahati.
The Mon District Planning and Development Board had earlier declared Ngwalwa as an arecanut village.
The team also carried out field visits to Heningkunglwa village in the district.
Following the field visits, a stakeholders’ meeting was held at the Ngwalwa Village Council Hall under the chairmanship of Ngwalwa Extra Assistant Commissioner Sizin Renttah.
The meeting was attended by government officials, village leaders, and local stakeholders.
During the meeting, the central team informed participants that they would recommend to the ministry the introduction of the latest production technologies, the establishment of nurseries for quality planting materials, the development of necessary infrastructure, and the creation of marketing linkages with South India.
The team also proposed developing the Ngwalwa area, including Heningkunglwa, Ngwalwa, Gaili Namdi, Gaili, and Punglwa villages, as an arecanut hub.
In addition, intercropping arecanut with spices such as black pepper and cocoa was suggested to enhance farmers’ income and promote sustainable cultivation practices.