Pfutsero in Phek district is set to host India’s first Centre of Excellence (CoE) for kiwifruit through collaboration with New Zealand.
The development was discussed during a high-level meeting held on May 31 at Kisama between Nagaland’s Minister for Water Resources and Horticulture, Salhoutuonuo Kruse, and an 11-member delegation from New Zealand and New Delhi.
According to officials, the proposed Centre of Excellence at Pfutsero is part of efforts to strengthen kiwifruit cultivation in the state through scientific research, technology transfer and international cooperation.
The visiting delegation included six scientists and technical experts from New Zealand’s Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI) – Stephanie Clare Montgomery, Daniel Colin Black, Nicholas Gould, Jeremy Nicholas Burdon, Joy Lorraine Tyson and Steven Robert Green.
Officials from the New Zealand Embassy in New Delhi and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, were also part of the team.
A key focus of the visit is the installation of a weather monitoring station at the proposed Centre of Excellence site in Pfutsero. Once operational, it will be the first such facility under the state’s Horticulture Department, generating real-time data on weather, soil and water conditions to support precision farming and improve productivity.
The BSI experts are also expected to conduct preliminary surveys for the Centre of Excellence and interact with kiwi farmers across the state. The field visits aim to assess current cultivation practices, identify challenges and explore ways to improve yields through research-based interventions.
ALSO READ | Longkhum grows 301 metric tonnes of tomatoes. Others decide what they’re worth
During the meeting, the Horticulture Minister expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the New Zealand delegation for their support. She also highlighted the potential for future exchange programs that would allow farmers from Nagaland to visit New Zealand for hands-on training in advanced kiwifruit cultivation techniques.
According to an update received here, the proposed Centre of Excellence is expected to play a key role in strengthening Nagaland’s kiwi sector and promoting the state as the “Kiwi State of India.” The initiative also aims to improve farmer livelihoods through modern, science-based horticulture practices.
