Ginger farmers of Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao seek government's support

A CORRESPONDENT

NAGAON: Lack of government support coupled with trouble and unrest in the hilly region have pushed the ginger farmers of Assam's Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts to go for alternative cropping. The situation has come to such a pass that ginger cultivation is no longer a 'viable cultivable crop' and in the hilly region of the State, farmers have started shifting to other 'long-term items'.

Till 2010, the State recorded bumper ginger production annually. Ginger produced, especially in Assam's Karbi Anglong and then NC Hills (now Dima Hasao), is known for its quality and organic aspects. Other popular ginger belts include two lower Assam districts- Nalbari and Barpeta, two east Assam districts – Sonitpur and Darrang, three upper Assam districts – Golaghat, Sibsagar and Tinsukia, and central Assam's Nagaon district.

Three-fourth of total ginger production of the State is from the two hill districts. Better quality and medicinal value of the product of the hilly region make it internationally popular. Two influential tribes –Kukis and Karbis are involved in ginger cultivation. "Ten years back, more than 1,000 heavy trucks carried ginger from these areas to New Delhi. Nowadays, not more than 200 trucks are seen moving in these areas to take ginger outside the State. Extortion by miscreants disturbs the truckers who come from outside. Lack of government support to the farmers is another reason why our people hesitate to opt for this," said Kuki ginger cultivator Touthang Thaudang.

Thaudang, a 55-year old ginger farmer from Manja area in Karbi Anglong, said that proper financial and technical support from the government could bring farmers back to ginger cultivation again. In 2009, Dispur took initiatives to export raw ginger from the State's hilly region to Canada. A Canada-based farm signed an MoS with a government-initiated farmers' federation – Ginfed- for large-scale organic ginger export. The initiative ended in smoke because of red-tapism. The same year, Dispur spent Rs 35 lakh for erecting a ginger processing unit which has not seen the light of the day. "Actually there was a gap among the farmers, the traders and the government machinery. Had the system brought an end to the problems, it might have made Assam the largest ginger producing State in India," said Sarthe Enghi, a Karbi ginger farmer from West Karbi Anglong.

In 2015, Karbi Anglong was accorded geographical indication by the GI Registry of India. Till 2016, as many as 50 MT raw ginger was exported to European countries annually from the hilly belt. "As per official record, of the district's 10,334 sq km area, as many as 2,600 hectare highland area is used for cultivation of organic ginger. Karbi Anglong produces 20000 MT ginger annually," said a source in the Karbi Anglong district administration.

A high-level source of the State agriculture department said that basically ginger produced in the plain areas, including upper Assam, lower Assam and East Assam districts, were sold in the local markets. The hilly region's organic ginger is supplied to New Delhi and other Indian States.

"Organic ginger has its medicinal value and ginger from the State is very popular in Spain and UK. Lack of coordination stands in the way of smooth relation between the farmers and the traders who come from outside. We hope the government looks into this issue while there is still time," said a West Karbi Anglong ginger farmer.

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