SHILLONG, April 22 – “Let me take you down, cause I’m going to the strawberry field…”. Meghalaya Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary seems to be humming this legendary Beatles song these days on his way to the strawberry fields at the Raj Bhavan.
Mooshahary, the former chief of the National Security Guard and Border Security Force, revealed the softer side of his personality and said he has been farming the “fruit of love” at the Raj Bhavan for sometime now.
The Governor, who was speaking at the Strawberry festival held annually by the Meghalaya Horticulture department and the Ri-Bhoi Strawberry Growers’ Association, said he has managed to farm at least 100 kg of strawberry at the Raj Bhavan fields. The Governor said that the amorous fruit is not just economically viable, but also has tremendous health benefits.
In terms of nutrition, strawberry has some of the essential vitamins needed for good health. The fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin C and energy.
As part of Meghalaya’s Horticulture development programme, strawberry cultivation has been given tremendous support by the State Government.
The cultivation of the fruit was introduced as a pilot project in Ri-Bhoi district and is now a major agro industry for some of the growers in the State. Currently, Meghalaya is the largest producer of strawberry in the North East.
Meanwhile, the annual strawberry festival has become a tourist attraction and also provides a platform for the farmers to interact directly with the buyers. C Rangad, Director of Horticulture said, some of the farmers in Ri-Bhoi were earning substantially due to the huge demand for the fruit.
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