Lower Dibang Valley district set record in orange production

Itanagar, Jan 13 (UNI) After West Siang and Upper Subansiri districts, Lower Dibang Valley district in Arunachal Pradesh has created a record of sorts in orange production with 1200 metric tonnes produced in an area of 1045 hectares during 2005-2006.

The villagers of Kapang under Dambuk circle and Balek in Roing are leading by producing best varieties of oranges, according to District Horticulture Development Officer (DHDO) Hibu Dante. ''We are anticipating 1500 metric tonnes of oranges in this year as the farmers are making good money by selling oranges in the season,'' he said and added that the price of an orange had gone to Rs two at market and Rs one at the garden, owing to a healthy upsurge of demand in the neighbouring states.

The district blessed with rich agro-climatic condition with abundant cultivable land facilitates was helping farmers in making maximum profits despite limited inputs. The horticulture department in the district was extending all possible help to the farmers for maximum coverage of fruits under technology mission programe and initiating extensive coverage of orange cultivation under the mission, the officer informed.

''With its focus on quality production, the department at the same time is extending adequate incentives and is coordinating with the farmers besides putting sufficient effort to turn the district into an orange bowl of the state,'' he informed stating that people were showing interest to grow more oranges at Dambuk belt and Roing foothills areas.

The Balek compact orange orchard established way back in 1978 in an area of eight square km in the foothills is yielding bumper crops since many decades. The farmers were earning between two to three lakh each session, Dante added. ''We are earning Rs 300 to Rs 400 in a season by selling oranges produced in our kitchen garden, whereas the big gardens use to auction their products to merchants coming from Tinsukia and Dibrugarh in neighbouring Asom, commented a small grower of the area.

UNI