Bishnupur (Manipur) [India], January 5 : After years of setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged unrest in Manipur, vegetable farmer Ningthoujam Inaocha of Kumbi Terakha is once again finding hope and stability through agriculture.
Cultivating vegetables on one lourak of land, Inaocha has planted cabbage (Green Hero variety), cauliflower, broccoli (Queen Magic variety), and mustard. He continues to use a local mustard variety that he has relied on for many years. More than 3,000 mustard plants were grown this season, and on a single day recently, he harvested around 100 bundles for sale.
All crops were planted in the last week of October. In total, around 18,000 plants were cultivated, including cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and mustard. While cabbage accounts for the majority of the plantation, more than 1,000 cauliflower plants and broccoli seeds worth 3,500 plants were also sown.
Inaocha recalled that he incurred significant losses during the COVID-19 pandemic because he could not sell his produce. The situation worsened due to the ongoing unrest in Manipur, which continued to affect farming activities until last year. "This year, I am a little happy. I feel I will be able to sell my produce properly," he said.
According to him, a single season fetches an income of Rs 7-8 lakh. Apart from this, he also earns during both Kharif and Rabi seasons. During Kharif, he cultivates pumpkin and other creeper vegetables. His total annual income from farming is around Rs 20 lakh, excluding earnings from paddy cultivation.
Inaocha believes that if more people adopt intensive farming practices, Manipur can become financially independent. He said farming has enabled him to manage all his family expenses without difficulty.
He primarily relies on his own experience and traditional knowledge, using limited chemical fertilisers and avoiding most biofertilisers. "If farming is done scientifically, production can increase further. Organic farming gives less yield, but the profit is more assured," he explained.
For his contribution to agriculture, Inaocha has received the Best Farmer Award three times, along with other recognitions. He has never taken a bank loan but received seed support from KVK Bishnupur.
Local employment is also being generated through his farm. Yumnam Ibemcha, a resident of Kumbi Terakha, said he has been working on the farm for the past three to four months along with three to four other workers. "Our work timings vary. Sometimes we start from 1 pm, and sometimes earlier. We help with planting vegetables, cleaning the fields, and maintaining the sides of the farmland," he said.
With improving conditions and rising agricultural activity, farmers like Inaocha are hopeful that peace and productivity will restore livelihoods across Manipur's rural areas.