Tamenglong District is often referred to as the orange bowl of Manipur, and it recently hosted the 10th Annual Orange Festival.
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More than 231 orange cultivators exhibited different varieties of oranges at the festival that attracted large crowds, not just from Manipur, but also from nearby states.
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Manipur Governor Dr. Ashwani Kumar inaugurated the event.
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One of the aims of organizing the festival was to encourage the orange farmers to grow more oranges.
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" The orange festival is organized to encourage the people. We have been organizing it for the past ten years, and we feel that it will encourage the orange grower. So, from the government side and horticulture department side, we are trying our best to encourage them to grow more oranges," said L Dinakumar Singh, Horticulture Development Officer.
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Folk dance troupes from different parts of the state performed during the event.
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During the event, cash prizes were given to orange growers. Asina G received the cash prize of Rupees 1.5 Lakhs as the first prize winner.
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"I am so happy to receive the first prize, now I am planning to grow more oranges with this money," said Asina G.
"It is very good to promote one of the best orange produce in our country. The quality has been tasted it has proven that Tamenglong produces one of the best orange and this festival is one of the best way to tell the people not only within the sate but the rest of the country that we have the best orange and secondly it's important to know what are the plights faced by the farmers and to solve their problems," said Armstrong Panmei, IAS officer.
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The climatic conditions in Tamenglong are extremely favorable for orange cultivation. Such festivals help farmers increase production and reach out to a bigger market.