Lemon juice and oil extraction units of Khutak Valley Organic Producer Company Ltd. were commissioned at Khanimu Longjang, Mokokchung, on November 11, marking a step towards processing locally grown agricultural produce within the valley.
Commissioner and Secretary, Horticulture Department, Akumla Chuba, IAS, inaugurated the units and expressed hope that the facility would help uplift the village economy. She emphasised the importance of agriculture in economic development and called on farmers to preserve traditional seeds, pursue organic certification and work collectively towards strengthening the state’s agricultural sector.
KVOPC Ltd. Chairman Sashimeren Aier said Longjang and Khanimu, a satellite village of Longjang, were selected for their fertile valley and favourable warm climate. He said farmers had planted more than 95,000 orange saplings in the valley since the company’s inception, alongside areca nut.
Aier thanked the Department of Horticulture for its financial and other support and called for continued assistance towards farmers’ welfare. He stated that the infrastructure for the company was provided by the Department of Agriculture.
Established in 2024 under the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) scheme, Khutak Valley Organic Producer Company Ltd. is a ten-member Farmer Producer Company. It is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, the Entrepreneurs Associates, Government of Nagaland, Nagaland Organic and MOVCDNER.
The company cultivates lemon, areca nut and black pepper, with plans to introduce other crops in the coming seasons. Products displayed during the inauguration included dried star fruit, lime extracts, roselle tea and Sichuan pepper.
