By Peter Chachei

Dimapur (Nagaland), Nov.14 (ANI): India’s northeastern states hold immense potential for the large-scale cultivation of spices.

To encourage its production, a national symposium on spices was organized in Dimapur recently.

The objective was to delve upon ways to harness the existing potential of spices in the northeast region through technology.

Themed “Harnessing the potential of North Eastern States for spices through Production Technology Intervention”, the conference was organized by the Indian Society for Spices (ISS) and the Central Institute of Horticulture, Medziphema, Nagaland.

The symposium brought together research organizations, development agencies and farmers on a single platform to exchanges ideas and strategies for boosting the production of spices.

Over 200 farmers, entrepreneurs, stake holders, scientists and academicians from across India attended the symposium.

“The Indian society serves as a formal platform to exchange ideas and do what we don’t find based on the inputs from the farmers and traders. We also find newer research been done through the research institute,” said Dr. Anandaraj, President, Indian Institute of Spices Research.

“Spices are very important crop in the north east especially in Nagaland like ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom. We’ve got a lot of export potential but due to scientific management we cannot tackle all these problems but here the spices society of India has given the opportunity to host this spices symposium which is the first time in the history of Nagaland,” said Dr N Benjong Aier, Mission Director, Horticulture, Nagaland Government.

The Spices Board of India has prepared a 350 crore programme for the northeast under which an additional 1,500 hectares of land would be brought under cardamom cultivation.

The program would focus on crop improvement; increase economic return by reducing market risks in terms of yield, integrated pest management and post-harvest technologies.

There is a growing demand for organic spices in the International market and northeast states can offer spices at competitive prices. (ANI)