POLICY RESOLUTION FOR POTENTIAL HORTICULTURE AND CASH CROPS
DEVELOPMENT IN SIKKIM, 2004

Proposed by: Shri Somnath Poudyal
Seconded by: Shri Ran Bahadur Subba

The State Government has taken a decision to formulate policy for potential Horticulture Development in the State considering the kind of terrain and agro-climates, the needs of rural populace, the possibility of bettering rural economy through horticulture and the availability of potential crops, it is imperative to have a resolute policy to develop Horticulture & Cash Crops in Sikkim. In order to prepare a roadmap towards the set goals of the Government, it has become necessary to identify potential horticulture crops and to draw requisite policy resolutions to effect their development in positive manner;

And whereas the potential horticultural crops as visualized in Sikkim at present are Large Cardamom, Ginger, Sikkim Mandarin, Seed Potato, Off-Season Vegetables, Passion Fruit, Cymbidium Orchid, Cherry Pepper and Turmeric. It is through these potential crops, there would be possibility for Sikkim to accomplish the commercial production and marketing of horticulture produce;

Now therefore, in order to achieve the above objectives, following policy resolutions, which would provide a new direction in horticultural development of the State, are presented for consideration by the Sikkim Legislative Assembly for consideration and adoption, namely:-

1. In view of lack of research support in critically important crops and programmes of Sikkim, it is necessary for the State to establish Research Institutes or Stations for Large Cardamom, Ginger, Sikkim Mandarin and Organic Farming by itself to carry out basic research in consonance with locally associated problems and development requirements. Varietal improvement programme for economically important crops and native cultivars should be stressed upon.

2. Biotechnology should be introduced for compatible application, including tissue culture and micro-propagation, especially in Cymbidium orchid, large cardamom, seed potato and other potential horticultural crops.

3. Certified seeds and quality planting materials should be produced not only to meet the needs of the State but also for selling outside the State, particularly in seed potato, ginger, large cardamom, Sikkim Mandarin orange and other fruit crops. There is also necessity to explore the possibility of producing and marketing vegetable and flower seeds in private sector either through individual efforts or through managing joint ventures with reputed seed companies.

4. It should be a continual process to evolve improved management and production practices with sustainable productivity in various crops. Special management practices should be promoted for large cardamom, ginger and Sikkim Mandarin orange for the present.

5. Organic farming should be initiated with potentially marketable as well as exportable crops like large cardamom, Cymbidium orchid, passion fruit, Sikkim Mandarin orange, ginger, cherry-pepper, mushroom and baby corn. There is urgency to introduce and promote suitable organic alternatives to effect plant nutrient and plant protection managements. The promotion of organic farming should be followed in accordance with organic concept paper and action plan that has already been approved by the Government of Sikkim. It is important to have coordination among all the related Departments and organisations. Support and guidance of notified accreditation agencies like APEDA and Spices Board should be sought for identifying the Certifying Agencies and Exporting Agencies for procuring and marketing organic produce of the State at prefixed prices.

6. It is essential to deal with the problems of insect pests and diseases in various crops. The implementation of special insect pest and disease management programmes should receive priority for economically important crops like large cardamom, ginger, Sikkim Mandarin orange, seed potato, passion fruit, Cymbidium orchid, cherry pepper and turmeric.

7. The process of strengthening extension and capacity building of human resource related to the development of potential horticulture crops should be continued. Transfer of technology should be intensified at Gram Panchayat level for keeping the farmers aware of the latest farm technologies. Participatory Technology Development should be introduced and promoted in Sikkim to tackle location-specific problems and achieve higher adoption rate of technology. It is also imperative to institutionalise extension with the establishment of Krishi Vigyan Kendras as well as to pursue with ICAR to establish a relevant College in the State.

8. Assured irrigation system throughout the year should progressively be expanded to minimize risk in agricultural production.

9. Mode of credit availability to the farmers needs to be simplified.

10. Introduction of safe and sound new crops and varieties should be continued on experimental basis for exploring possibility of commercial adaptation in farmer’s field. It is, however, necessary to ensure that no new crops and varieties should destroy the bio-diversity of the State or should bring in new insect pests or diseases in the State. For instance, varieties to be introduced for potato should be immune to wart disease and highly resistant to late blight disease.

11. Promotion of selective off-season vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, peas, beans, radish, carrot, etc. should be continued in more intensive manner, preferably constituting the Growers’ Associations at various pockets of off-season vegetable production.

12. The State should become the primary producer of Cymbidium orchids, obtaining total and constant technical support from the National Research Center for Orchid, Pakyong. For the present, introduction of Cymbidium hybrids should be made on the basis of market demand and authenticated values.

13. Small and medium scale floriculture nurseries should be encouraged for private entrepreneurs, providing technical support by the Government Department and financial support by the banks. Floriculture, in general, should be promoted taking up varieties that are in demand or market driven. It is also important to work out the possibility of producing cut-flowers, pot flowers, ornamentals, flower bulbs and flower seeds in private sector for marketing and exporting outside the State through various available options, including joint ventures with reputed floriculture companies.

14. Area expansion of horticultural crops should be carried out in compact area basis. The production and area expansion of passion fruit should be in proportion to processing and marketing facilities in the State. There is also need to promote cultivation and marketing of native crops and cultivars like pears, chayote, tree-tomato, domesticated aromatic and medicinal plants.

15. The revival of apple cultivation should be done only in suitable pockets of the State including Lachung and Lachen areas with the evolvement of suitable technology. The technology outcome of experimental programme taken up under the Aus Aid Project for tackling apple scab and low chilling varietal adoption should be followed for apple development.

16. Collection of biomass, sphagnum moss and litters from forest for Cymbidium orchids and organic production of crops like ginger and seed potato should be permitted by relaxing the forestry protection restriction to a cognitive level.

17. Quality improvement of capsules through scientific curing and value addition should be emphasized in large cardamom.

18. Linking all production areas with all-weather roads is a must.

19. Emphasis should be laid on post harvest management for improving marketable quality of horticultural produce. Government support is must for the creation of infrastructures for grading or sorting, cleaning, handling, value addition, packaging, conditioned storage and requisite transporting chains with individual farmers, collective or cooperative entrepreneurs, Self Help Groups and Non-Governmental Organizations.

20. There should be positive role of Co-operatives in marketing surplus produce, constituting Farmers' Cooperative Marketing Federations and Growers' Cooperative Associations along with creation of facilities for market handling chains and marketing outlets.

21. Market promotion is must for both the fresh produce and processed products of economically important crops as well as locally predominant cultivars. Sikkim tourism and hoteliers' associations should support and promote locally grown horticultural crops by including them and their recipes in the list of hotel menus and other uses.

22. Commerce and Industries Department should totally support in establishing new agro-processing industries and expanding the existing agro-processing industries. A multi-purpose processing unit in or around Jorethang could be useful in catering the need of processing fruits and vegetables produced in South and West Districts. Further, there is necessity of establishing processing units for large cardamom, ginger and turmeric.

23. The possibility should be explored for exporting horticultural produce and products from Sikkim. To promote the export of horticultural produce and products, it is preferable to have local exporters and market promotion programmes.

24. In view of extreme lack of cultivable land in the State, the diversion of land from agriculture to non-agriculture purposes should be effectively minimized with an administrative intervention of Land Revenue & Disaster Management Department.

25. The existing land tenancy and ownership system tend to make it difficult to farmers for adopting improved technology and package of practices in general. Evidently, there is need to amend the existing systems by the administrative Department of Land Revenue to support agriculture and horticulture development in the State.

(The Resolution was passed in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly on September 15, 2004).