An exhibition highlighting innovative value-added products made from soft-shelled Job’s Tears (Coix lacryma-jobi L.), locally known as “Chaning Athotpa”, was held today at the Manipur University canteen premises.
The event aimed to promote the crop’s commercial potential and improve the socio-economic conditions of farmers in Manipur.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Prof. N. Lokendra Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University, in the presence of Prof. N. Mohilal Singh, Dean of the School of Life Sciences; Prof. Kananbala Sarangthem, Head of the Department of Botany; Dr. Thangjam Robert Singh, the project’s Principal Investigator; Thangjam Joykumar Singh of Thangjam Agro Limited; and representatives from Machang Bakery, Thaddeus Nutraceuticals, and PB Enterprises.
Organized under the second phase (2025–26) of an ICAR–National Institute for Plant Biotechnology (IARI Campus, New Delhi) sponsored project titled “Processing and Product Formulation of Job’s Tears (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) for Socio-economic Benefit of Farmers in Manipur,” the exhibition follows the successful establishment of a Job’s Tears village seed bank in 2024–25.
Over the past year, extensive trials have resulted in a diverse range of products, including cookies, muffins, buns, doughnuts, bread, nutrimeal, puffs, herbal drinks, alcoholic beverages, porridge, and mushroom spawning substrates.
The project seeks to develop diversified value-added items to boost the commercial utilization of Job’s Tears.
Led by Dr. Thangjam Robert Singh, Associate Professor in the Department of Botany at Manipur University, with Dr. Tapan Kumar Mondal of ICAR–National Institute for Plant Biotechnology as Co-operating Centre Principal Investigator, the initiative involves collaboration with Thangjam Agro Limited, Machang Bakery, Thaddeus Nutraceuticals, PB Enterprises, and villagers of Khurkhul.
This academia-industry-community partnership is expected to create new economic opportunities for farmers by transforming Job’s Tears into a commercially viable crop.
Naorem Mohen is the Editor of Signpost News. Explore his views and opinion on X: @laimacha.