Agartala, Aug 20: The Central Government has authorized Tripura to certify paddy seeds for neighboring states Mizoram and Manipur, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at the unveiling of Dr. M. S. Swaminathan’s statue at the State Agriculture Research Station, A. D. Nagar, the Minister said that certification by the Tripura Agriculture Department would ensure that the paddy of Mizoram and Manipur attains official recognition.
He noted that Tripura has two major research centres—A. D. Nagar for paddy and Nagicherra for horticulture—and urged farmers to collaborate with the centres to adopt modern agricultural practices.
Highlighting the vision of Dr. Swaminathan, Nath said strengthening agriculture is essential for self-sufficiency. He informed that out of 58 blocks in Tripura, 31 have already achieved self-sufficiency in food grain production, with Chandipur RD Block being the latest addition.
