Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: Manipur’s agriculture sector is crumbling. Dry weather in Imphal East and long-standing conflict in Bishnupur have halted the paddy season, threatening the region's food supply.
In Imphal East, fields stay parched. Former Up-Adhyaksha Ksh Tama inspected sites at Yaral Loukol, Gurupat, Gangapat, and Kongpal Chanam Leikai on July 6. The state handed out seeds and fertilizer, but the soil remains too dry for transplantation. Tama wants the government to pump water from the Kongba and Iril rivers immediately. She warned that the window to plant is closing fast.
Farmers also need protection. Tama insisted that security forces must deploy to foothill areas so growers can work without fear.
Tensions are peaking in Bishnupur. The Farmers' Wing of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity held a rally at the Sunusiphai market shed to demand compensation for crops lost to 2023 and 2024 violence and hailstorms. Armed conflict and instability have locked farmers out of thousands of acres.
Shyam Khuman, convenor of the COCOMI Farmers' Wing, said, "Many cultivators remain unable to reach agricultural areas, including the High Canal region, because of security concerns." He demanded the release of pending payments to support struggling families. Over 9,700 hectares of paddy fields now face total abandonment.
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