Reported by Bhadra Gogoi
Dimapur: The Nagaland government has taken a step forward in establishing its proposed Centre of Excellence (CoE) for kiwifruit at Pfutsero in Phek district, holding a high-level meeting with an 11-member delegation from New Zealand and New Delhi in Kohima.
The meeting, chaired by Water Resources Development and Horticulture Minister Salhoutuonuo Kruse on May 31, focused primarily on the installation of a weather station at the proposed CoE site.
The facility, which will be the first of its kind under the Nagaland Horticulture Department, is expected to collect real-time weather, water and soil data to support precision farming and improve kiwifruit productivity in the state.
As part of the initiative, New Zealand’s Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI) will conduct preliminary surveys for the proposed centre and interact with kiwifruit growers across Nagaland to assess existing cultivation practices and identify ways to improve yield and fruit quality.
During the meeting, Kruse expressed appreciation to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the New Zealand delegation for supporting the project.
She also proposed future exchange programmes that would allow farmers from Nagaland to visit New Zealand for hands-on training in advanced kiwifruit cultivation techniques.
The meeting was attended by Nagaland Commissioner and Secretary of Horticulture Akumla Chuba and officials of the department.
The visiting delegation included six technical experts and scientists from BSI, representatives of the New Zealand Embassy in New Delhi, and an official from the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.