By Mayukh Goswami

Mangaldai :  District Agriculture Department  Darrang  in a bid to promote production and demonstration of potentially rich  of Rabi crop including onion and other seasonal vegetables in the district through the selected progressive farmers has initiated the distribution of high yielding or high breed  seeds and saplings of different crops.  District Agriculture Officer , Nila Kanta Deka in presence of  Sub Division Horticulture Officer Iftikhar Ahmed Nuri on Tuesday ceremonially launched the distribution of a total of 10 quintals of onion seed produced, processed and distributed by National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation under Government of India. The seeds thus distributed will be sown in twenty hectares of agriculture land of the district by the beneficiary farmers for demonstration . ” The seeds are distributed only for demonstrative farming , so that such farm demonstration encourage other progressive farmers to come forward and join hands with these farmers in the coming season.” , opined Sub Divisional Horticulture Officer Iftikhar Ahmed Nuri.

On the other hand, the district Horticulture wing of the Agriculture department has made a target for cultivation of Sweet Charlie Variety of Straw Berry in a total area of 15 hectares  land. A total of 92760 saplings will be distributed among selected 110 agri entrepreneurs of the district. The District Agri officials  on  receipt of the  saplings of the said variety of  fruits on Monday afternoon only didn’t spend any further time and have rushed to  the Straw Berry growers for its distribution.. ” It is a seasonal crop , so time is a very important factor . “We received the saplings only on Monday afternoon and without wasting a day we have distributed it among our Straw Berry growers and we expect a very good harvest of this crop with a very high market demand.” shared Iftikhar Ahmed Nuri .

The Agriculture department  also distributed seeds of water melon, papaya, capsicum, brinjal, broccoli, tomato, cabbage, pumpkin, cauliflower, chilli, among the farmers of the district under Horticulture Mission for NE Himalayan Region Scheme-a flagship scheme of Government of India and under Rastriya Krishi Vikash .