Almost 10,000 acres of land or areas have been procured in the state for rubber industry and projects associated with it are ways of generating employment opportunities to the educated unemployed youth of Nagaland.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
Kerela based company under the aegis of Harrisons Malayalam Limited (HML), has once again spread its wings since its first experience when the experts or leaders visited the state in order to explore the possibilities of the rubber business which is almost forgotten in the state of Nagaland.
In a media interaction on October 5, held at Toka Multipurpose Society, Purana Bazaar, Dimapur, on how the company has been into targeting especially the northeastern part of India, CEO, Nitu Raj, shared his experiences on how the company proposed the for venturing into markets especially of the rubber which he diligently said that there’s a huge market for the rubber farmers in the state.
Since its inception decades back, it was informed that the company under the Toka Multipurpose Society has been tapping the fruits grown and available in the markets including pineapple which is perhaps regarded as one of the juiciest in the whole country.
Sharing the darker side while also putting an exemplar, the CEO of the visiting company, Nitu Raj, spelled the very “language” that the supply chain in the state of Nagaland has to be maintained before any other states could take over citing reasons that the rubber farming has potentials to sustain oneself while also thrusting that the “other entity” needed to be focused so as not to be ignorant on the issue.
Disclosing that almost 10,000 acres of land or areas have been procured in the state for the idea of the said projects which the CEO said was also in a way of generating or helping employment opportunities to the educated unemployed youth of the state, he also went on to add that the main feature or idea behind is not to “exploit” the farmers but rather to help them of their hard earned dues or to be free from being asked for certain “cut”.
Also putting his inputs on the very same issue, it was known that for the first time in the history, the state of Nagaland has been one of the most prominent states in the country for its soil and in cultivations for different agri based produce which accordingly the Nagas has the distinction of being a “pride farmer”.
The company which has already made a niche itself for its entry into many of the “untapped” states where potential (s) have been seen, Thursday’s press conference was mainly focused on the plantation of the rubber which is economically viable and in return sustainable to the farmers after its 7th years of plantations.
On the contrary, Raj was of the view of setting up an industry to market the produce in the state, however, he lamented and questioned on the “burning issue” concerning with the grievances faced and experienced by the farmers who are most of the times exploited.
Earlier, in the later part of January this year, a four member team of the mentioned company visited the state in order to explore business opportunities or possibilities in rubber or fruits in order to venture for marketing/trading inclusive off buying and selling different grades of processed rubber including ribbed smoked sheets, Indian standard natural rubber.
Also addressing the media persons was Kathi Chishi, representing the Toka Multipurpose Society on his own term said that sourcing the material from small farmers, expectations to set in motions a “chain of reaction” where a farmer could be able to produce the best quality rubbers using scientific and progressive methods from their own farms and also to get market (s) to sell their produce at their doorstep thereby giving the farmers a consistent and fair income throughout the year.
Also mentioning was that the company which has “eyed” to foray into the state, Nagaland, would also help the farmers involved to tap the rubber plantations and other allied sectors including replanting, upkeep, harvesting processing, while also cornering for a market placed “rubber” produced from the state of Nagaland.
Already having seen and experienced about the scope of the rubber plantation in the State, the visiting team gladly acknowledged about the rubber cultivation in the state by stating that the 86 lakhs hectres of land already under the rubber cultivation has potential (s) in order to boost the economy of the state.
It maybe mentioned that Toka Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Nagaland, the brainchild behind inviting the officials of the HML are already tiedup in order venture into the rubber business in the state.