Mizoram's Areca Nut Boom: A Harvest Celebration

Areca nut farmers in Mizoram's Mamit district received profitable prices for their harvest as smuggling from Myanmar diminished. The Hachhek Bial Kuhva Chingtu Pawl association confirmed Rs 50 crore in sales. An areca nut festival is set for December 8 in Rengdil village to celebrate the successful harvest.

In Mizoram's Mamit district, areca nut farmers are enjoying a prosperous season as reduced smuggling from Myanmar has boosted prices. Victor MS Dawngliana, of the Hachhek Bial Kuhva Chingtu Pawl (HBKCP), reported that local farmers earned Rs 50 crore, a significant increase from previous years.

Prices for areca nuts surged to Rs 2,500-3,000 per bag as opposed to past values of Rs 1,200-1,500. The majority of buyers came from neighboring Assam, with some from Tripura. The harvest season, which began in the Hachhek area in 1950, will continue until April next year.

An areca nut festival is planned on December 8 in Rengdil village, where 380 families partake in cultivation. The state's efforts to combat smuggling have resulted in the establishment of two processing units, bolstering the sector's development.

(With inputs from agencies.)