IMPHAL, May 8: A team led by Coordinator of Technical Centre Imphal, Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Government of India Professor AK Mudgal inspected the Haobijam Agrotech vermicompost unit set up at Yumnam Khunou Awang Leikai today.
Vermicompost is the product or process of composting using various worms, usually red wigglers, white worms, and other earthworms, to create a heterogeneous mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and vermicast, Mudgal highlighted.
Vermicast, also called worm castings, worm humus or worm manure, is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter by earthworms. These castings have been shown to contain reduced levels of contaminants and a higher saturation of nutrients than organic materials before vermicomposting.
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Vermicompost is the catalyst to make nutrients such as potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous soluble for easy absorption by plants,” Mudgal stated.
With the undertaking of the Department of Commerce and Industries, farmers are encouraged to grow more plants under the project of Aromatic and Medicinal Plantation in their own land with financial assistance from banks. They will be supplied planting materials and encouraged to use vermicompost to make it organic, he added.
Such unit set up at a commercial level will definitely help farmers meet vermicompost demand. Under the project of Aromatic and Medicinal Plantation, loans will be provided by banks for land preparation but planting materials and good quality vermicompost or vemicompost unit will be supplied by the Department, he stated.
Nodal officer of Import and Export, Department of Commerce and Industries Ksh Shanta Kumar said the setting up vermicompost unit has high prospect of earning huge revenue with the upcoming organic farming methods in the State and other places.
Mass awareness is needed to sensitize farmers on the benefits of vermicompost unit and adoption of vermicompost in farming. When local demands are met there is possibility to export vermicompost to other South East Asian countries, he stated.
Proprietor of Haobijam Agrotech, H Soraren said the unit was set up at a commercial level after witnessing the benefits of vermicompost in various pilot projects conducted at his farm.
The unit produces 20 tons of vermicompost in 45 days which are made available for farmers and flower growers at its outlet set up at Keishamthong Irom Pukhri Mapal and Yumnam Khunou Awang Leikai.
With more attention from the State Government and banks to provide loans, vermicompost can be developed in a larger scale and aid in making Manipur an organic State.
The visit was also accompanied by Axis Bank, Imphal Branch Manager J Kaphun Gangpou.