Exposure trip for Ramie farmers flagged off

FROM OUR REPORTER

SHILLONG, Feb 21: As a part of promoting Ramie cultivation in the State, the state Agriculture department has undertaken a Training-cum-Exposure Trip for Ramie farmers to Sorbhog in Assam to familiarize them on the method of cultivating the fibre plant as well as harvesting and processing of the fibre.

The trip of the second batch of 52 farmers from West and South West Garo Hills for the trip to Sorbhog was flagged off on Saturday.

The first batch was sent for similar training and exposure trip on January 28 and 29, last.

It may be recalled that the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had launched a scheme for introducing Ramie cultivation in the State last year as part of the Government’s concept of Green Economy, which aims at creating livelihood opportunities for the farmers and also to maintain ecological balance besides controling the adverse effects of global warming.

Ramie (Boehmeria Nivea), commonly known as Chi grass, is a fibre crop indigenous to Garo Hills and grows wild in the jungles even though the crop is being grown for fibre in Chi, Brazil, Taiwan and other countries. Known as “kilkra” in Garo, it is said to be the strongest tural fibre.

The Chief Minister has given his assurance that the Government would fix support price for the farmers and he has also been engaging with industrialists who manufacture textiles out of Ramie fibre.