A horticulturist at work in an orange orchard

Silchar, July 21: After reaping a bountiful crop of passion fruit, Mizoram is aiming to expand its horticultural horizons with a little help from Israel.

Horticulture director Samuel Rosanglura today disclosed that the government had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tel Aviv-based Israel Corporation of Agriculture Application for a ?state-of-the-art? orange nursery in Mamit town.

He said the agreement was part of a strategy to revive the state?s orange plantations. Israel will also supply hybrid seeds and share technological knowhow to help Mizo orange farmers reap the citrus fruit within two years of planting saplings. Indigenous varieties of orange trees take at least four years to mature and bear fruit.

Blessed with a temperate climate congenial for orange orchards, Mizoram produces about 1,000 tonnes of the succulent winter fruit every year. Oranges grown in Mizoram are popular across the neighbouring south Assam districts and even Bangladesh.

The output of oranges has, however, been on the decline over the past three years. A senior official described the declining productivity of orchards in west Mizoram as a ?temporary phenomenon?. He said the horticulture department had requisitioned the services of experts from Israel to regenerate the orchards because farming practices in that country were most likely to succeed in Mizoram too.

Rosanglura said the decline in output was ?a disease common to orange orchards? and growers in the Mamit region, acknowledged as the hub of the state?s horticulture revolution, had been asked not to panic.

The focus on orange farming is part of the state government?s scheme to replace wasteful jhum farming ? a practice dating back to ancient cultivation ? with productive horticulture.

Rosanglura said he was convinced that horticulture could ?turn around? Mizoram?s stunted economy. Apart from oranges and passion fruit, farmers are being encouraged to grow papaya and different varieties of grapes.