Nagaland economy mainly centred around agriculture: Rio

April 6, 2023 21 Views No Comment

Our Correspondent
Kohima | April 6

Nagaland’s Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today said that the state’s economy is mainly centred around agriculture and allied activities, with about 70% of the populace being dependent on these sectors.

“The bulk of our agricultural products are organically produced. This has been possible as farmers mainly utilize natural manure and traditional practices,” Rio said while speaking at the inaugural function of B20 conference on opportunities for Multilateral Business Partnerships in Agriculture, Food Processing, Tourism and Information Technology in Kohima on April 5.

Rio informed that the state of Nagaland also has a much lower population density at 119 persons per square km than the rest of the country, enjoying a very favourable land-man ratio.

The tropical and sub-tropical climate in the region is suitable for growth and cultivation of agricultural products. Some items include the Naga chilli- which is the world’s hottest naturally occurring pepper, as well as varieties of tropical fruits and vegetables especially pineapple, papaya and passion fruit, which due to of their striking taste and quality, have been able to gamer good attention wherever they have been marketed to and made available.

More modem cash crops like coffee and tea are also witnessing high quality harvests.

‘Naturally Nagaland’, a brand and marketing platform has also been created for the various organically grown processed foods and other traditional items in the state, Rio said.

He said that Nagaland blessed with a pristine and beautiful natural environment, almost entirely untouched, and unpolluted, is a tourist paradise.

The state offers a huge potential for tourism industry, especially for those desiring a unique ‘out of the box’ experience. There are jungles and mountains to explore, lush valleys and sparkling streams. It is a haven for trekking and camping, as well as motor sports and off-roading, Rio said.

“Our Naga society from an entirely tribal way of life has seen a rapid transformation to a town based modern way of life within a very short period of time. Perhaps, it is the ingrained strength and exceptional adaptability of our people, that facilitated the smooth adoption of the modern way of life,” Rio said.

With a persistent zeal for learning new skills, coupled with the wide usage of the English language; we feel that we have a head start advantage especially in the services sector, he said.

“The state also has a relatively young work force and a higher literacy rate than the national average. Among the services sector, in particular, it is well equipped to excel in the IT sector, with the right guidance and building of the infrastructure ecosystem. We would implore those who are from this field to consider investing in this sector,” Rio said.

Rio felt that Nagaland is advantageously placed, and where abundant business opportunities exist which could be mutually beneficial for all.

There are several other areas and sectors with good potential, such as, Handloom and handicrafts with traditional expertise, Sports and Youth Development, Animal Husbandry & livestock rearing, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Higher Education, Healthcare, and Logistics, he said.