Mithi launches forestry college

ITANAGAR, March 8: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi has stressed the need to develop medicinal plants and other horticultural and forest species in the state. Speaking at the inaugural function of the Horticulture and Forestry College, the first of its kind in the state, at Pasighat, the district headquarters of East Siang, yesterday, Mithi said, "The foothills zone of the state is suitable for growing citrus fruits, guavas, bananas, pineapples, large cardamoms, black pepper, plums, pears and vegetables. "Production of apples, walnuts and kiwis should be developed on the rain-shadow area of the hills having 1,000 mm annual rainfall". The college will be affiliated to the Central Agriculture University, Imphal. The institution will function independently, official sources said. Mithi said with the establishment of the Horticulture and Forestry College, the state was expected to make rapid progress in these fields in a couple of years. Mithi thanked the vice-chancellor of the Central Agriculture University, Imphal, S.S. Baghel, whose co-operation led to the realisation of the college, earlier promised by Union agriculture minister Nitish Kumar. The Chief Minister hoped that the college would use the available technical manpower to relay lab information to farmers to help them develop high quality and quantity of horticulture and forest products. Mithi, however, expressed concern over the development of high-yielding variety of agriculture crops as many indigenous species were becoming extinct. "We must not forget that low-yielding varieties of wild agricultural and horticultural crops are future insurance for the survival of high-yielding varieties," he added. Mithi felicitated the state horticulture department for bagging 10 prizes at the all-India apple show held in Nainital. He also lauded the department for developing the latest technology and establishing large nurseries at Shergaon and Dirang for multiplication of genuine and disease-free planting material to cater to the farmers' demand. In both the nurseries, 26 cultivars of apple are being maintained as mother plants. The Chief Minister also called upon the authorities to take appropriate action to ensure that the rich bio-diversity and germ plasm of the state are not affected adversely in a bid to maximise production.