Manipur becomes the first northeast state to have a quality analysis laboratory under the public sector.  The laboratory was opened in Imphal by the Horticulture and Soil Conservation Minister of Manipur, Thounaojam Shyamkumar at ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region Manipur at Lamphelpat on Tuesday.

Speaking as the chief guest of the inaugural function, Th. Shyamkumar said that the laboratory will play an important role in quality analysis in Manipur and in the entire North East region. He also that the laboratory will help in checking the quality of food items and help identify products that are beneficial for human consumption.

Funded by the department of horticulture and soil conservation under the centrally sponsored scheme mission for integrated development of horticulture (MIDH),  the laboratory can analysed more than 100 quality parameters such as carbohydrate, protein, energy-specific chemicals, adulteration among others. Apart from it, scientific research works can also be carried out in the laboratory.

Praising officials of ICAR for completing the laboratory in a short period of time, the minister also appealed to the ICAR officials to spread awareness to the farmers regarding the latest farming technologies for better crop yields. 

Principal Secretary (Horticulture and Soil Conservation),  JC RamthangaK Kipgen, Director, Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation,  Narendra Prakash, Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Meghalaya and officials of the ICAR Lamphelpat attended the inauguration. 

Speaking on the importance of preserving invaluable food item and indigenous trees like yongchak (parkia),  the horticulture minister appealed to people of the state to plant yongchak trees by availing the solution prepared by the scientists from the forest department to solve the issue of insect attack on the yongchak trees. 

The minister lamented that the state imports the yongchak from neighbouring county since the production in the state has drastically decreased due to insect attack. But initiatives by the forest department, the scientists of the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun have successfully identified the cause and solution to the problem, he added.