The Nagaland Government has taken a significant step towards establishing India’s first Centre of Excellence (CoE) for kiwifruit at Pfutsero in Phek district, in collaboration with New Zealand, a global leader in kiwifruit production.
A high-level meeting was held in Kohima between Minister for Water Resources and Horticulture Salhoutuonuo Kruse and an 11-member delegation from New Zealand and New Delhi on May 31 at Kisama to review progress on the proposed project.
The delegation included six scientists and technical experts from New Zealand’s Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI), along with representatives from the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi and officials from India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
A key focus of the discussions was the installation of a weather monitoring station at the proposed Centre of Excellence site in Pfutsero. Once operational, it will be the first facility of its kind under the Nagaland Horticulture Department.
The station is expected to collect real-time data on weather conditions, soil health and water parameters, providing scientific inputs to support precision farming and improve kiwifruit productivity and fruit quality in the region.
Officials said the project aims to strengthen scientific horticulture practices and enhance the capacity of local farmers through data-driven cultivation techniques.
The New Zealand team’s Bioeconomy Science Institute will also conduct preliminary surveys at the proposed site and engage with kiwifruit growers across Nagaland to assess existing practices and identify areas for improvement.
During the meeting, Kruse thanked the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the New Zealand delegation for their support for the initiative. She also proposed future exchange programmes that would allow Nagaland farmers to visit New Zealand for hands-on training in advanced kiwifruit cultivation methods.
The project is seen as a major step in strengthening international agricultural cooperation and boosting horticulture development in Nagaland through scientific and technical collaboration.
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