Arunachal Pradesh agriculture minister Tage Taki on Tuesday inaugurated a research institute in order to augment the income of the state farmers.
The institute launched under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) initiative.
The research institute named Center for Post-Harvest Processing and Research was inaugurated at CSIR-NEIST in Itanagar on Tuesday.
The Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute of Durgapur set up the research institute with the aim of teaching new scientific technologies to the farmers of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Center for Post-Harvest Processing and Research was constructed at a cost of Rs 10.5 lakh.
The farmers would be taught post-harvesting processing methods, water treatment processes and renewable energy technologies in the research institute.
Taki said that despite the good yield of agricultural products, the state is not able to make proportionate income due to weakness in post-harvest processing.
He also said that although the state produces good quality of ginger, turmeric and other crops, the farmers of the state are forced to sell their produce at low prices due to their lack of knowledge in post-harvesting processing.
The agriculture minister hoped that the research institute would help in the economic development of the farmers by providing them with all the necessary knowledge and skills.
Taki further added that steps are being taken to improve the financial condition of the farmers in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to double farmer’s income by 2020.
Apart from this research institute, another one was opened at Pasighat and a third one was also being constructed at Ziro.