Guwahati: First tried out in Japan and
Thailand, a concept village is coming up in a sleepy hamlet in
Assam's Nalbari district where thousands of lemon trees will
be planted to improve the local economy.
Under the concept of 'one village one product', the North
East Financial Development Corporation along with a leading
NGO is setting up a 'lemon village' at Arora.
The institution's chairman-cum-managing director, Kashi
Nath Hazarika, said the concept which has been successful in
Japan and Thailand, is being tried out for the first time in
the Northeast with planting of nearly 10,000 lemon saplings.
Hazarika says the yield, which will find a ready market
among local population, will generate an annual average
revenue of Rs 10 lakh per year.
He exdudes confidence that the climatic condition was
suitable for growth of lemon and the village will be able to
generate its own market for the product.
Hazarika during the recent launching of the scheme asked
the young generation to set up plants for processing lemons
from 2012 onwards after mass-scale production begins.
Arora is an agrarian village with nearly 600 families
most of whom are farmers. Initially, 250 farmers have been
provided with lemon saplings.
The NEDFI has facilitated one-time funding for initial
requirement of manure and insecticide and has engaged a
technician as mentor for the project.
Hazarika hoped in the third year around 10,000
lemon plants will be grown in the village which will yeild
at least 10 lakh lemons.
"The availability of such a large quantity of lemons
from a single village will not only help the farmers, but also
develop the market," he said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 13:11