DONER Ministry Secretary Srinivas Katikithala on Thursday visited Kadamtala in North Tripura to inspect agar plantations and processing activities and discuss measures to simplify the trade for agar growers and traders.

Katikithala first visited Mamon Enterprise at North Phulbari village under Kadamtala block, where he inspected an agar plantation and observed the processing of various agar products, including chips and oil.

He also interacted with workers and agar traders during the visit. Anfor Ali, secretary of the All Tripura Agar Association, briefed him about various products manufactured from agar and the activities of the traders.

The association also raised a three-point set of demands before the DONER Ministry secretary. Among the demands was the provision of low-interest loans of Rs 25 lakh to agar traders and training for workers through the association.

Katikithala said he would discuss measures with the government to ensure that agar traders could conduct their business in a smooth and streamlined manner.

The secretary later visited the Kadamtala agar market as part of his tour.

The association said agar produced in Tripura had demand beyond the domestic market and that traders from different parts of the country, as well as from Dubai and Bangkok, had previously visited the Kadamtala region in connection with the trade.

Senior officials of the Forest Department, the district administration and the concerned range office accompanied Katikithala during the visit.