- NET Web Desk
Recently, a report published in ‘Invest India’, a national investment promotion & facilitation agency have considered Nagaland, as a state with rich resources of minerals, petroleum and hydropower.
Authored by State Lead, Chihan Kashung, the report asserts that Nagaland is predominantly an agrarian economy with 71% of its population dependent on agriculture.
Major horticulture crops grown in the state include banana, citrus, pineapple and potato.
It further states that Nagaland is also a rich producer of cash crops that include – rattan and bamboo.
However, the state is classified into four agro-climatic zones and receives an average rainfall of 2,500 mm annually.
Among all the natural resources, forest resources such as medicinal plants and timber contribute maximum to the state’s economy.
The report indicates that Nagaland is the third highest producer of cobalt in India.
It includes 600 mn MT of crude oil capacity.
There are more than 200 mn tonnes of hydrocarbon reserves underneath 7 oil belts, which are spread across 5 districts of the state.
The report also adds that ‘Naga Tree Tomato’ and ‘Chakhesang Shawl’ are the registered Geographical Indication (GI) of Nagaland.
It mentions that about 79% of the state’s total cultivable area is under horticulture plantation.
The state has potential to produce 15,000 MT of honey, and 100 MT of wax, generating around $ 100 mn annually.
It also mentioned about honey processing units in Dimapur set-up by Nagaland Bee-keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM), thereby establishing 17 common facilities in the centre.
The report also mentioned about mulberry, muga, eri, and Oak-Tasar silk that are widely cultivated in the state.
While, during 2018-19, the production of spun Eri silk in the state stood at around 606 MT.
