Howraghat, May 9 : Ginger cultivation in Karbi Anglong district is bringing about a new economic revolution among ginger farmers. The prevailing climatic conditions and soil in the district are extremely suitable for growing ginger.
In the hilly tracts, the tribal people still practice jhuming in low-lying forest land and other type of cultivation including ginger are also carried out after the harvest. But ginger cultivation, which had also been cultivated earlier by the tribal people is on in the traditional manner.
This is not due to the lack of adequate market in the district, but under the initiatives of Dr Madhuiyaan Angamuthu, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Karbi Anglong, with an aim to encourage and promote ginger farmers of the district. A Ginger Growers Cooperative Marketing Federation Limited (GINFED) has also been constituted. GINFED is a nascent organization just about 16 months old.
During a short interaction with Dr M Angamuthu, the Deputy Commissioner revealed that for the smooth functioning of marketing and value-addition, a Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) for this organization has been on the anvil.
He further said that it will take at least three years to finalize the SOP and he is currently looking for any kind of Flexi Operating Protocol (FOP), which suits the organization and buyers on a mutually agreeable and operational protocol (MAOP) standard.
As the organization will derive and pass onto the support to the small and marginal tribal farmers of the district, GINFED will work out the steps and procedures for the betterment of the organization, and in the process it will opt for the Best Operating Protocol (BOP) with a proper time-tested phenomena, Dr Angamuthu added.
Speaking on the need of value addition, he said that value-addition is made where genuine farmers will get maximum benefit and the company can also take the best organic ginger by default.
Moreover, this process will give a market for organic ginger of Karbi Anglong, and the process to get GI certification and registration has already completed, he informed.
While pointing out to the crop cycle records, he said that crop production in the last four years was 20,000 MTs to 30,000 MTs per annum and the present production is expected to be around 35,000 MT over a period of five months (from mid-December to April end).
He further said that grading and packaging facilities of the produced ginger are also ready and it would be available at the collection centres at Manja and Longnit near Diphu Railway station.
Speaking on the procurement policy of GINFED, he further informed that GINFED will perform a promotional and facilitator role with a fixed procurement, based on market demand, with the assured quality of GINFED’s brand name.
Besides, GINFED will procure ginger from growers at a minimum cost on a weekly schedule at collection centres. In this regard, GINFED will support small and marginal farmers to get the minimum price and maximum advantage. Besides, GINFED will also procure best quality ginger on 50 per cent advance and rest 50 per cent on final delivery based on the prevailing market price at the nearest market like Guwahati on five per cent commission basis, he added.
The Deputy Commissioner further revealed that ginger growers of the district will get remunerative price and it helps in understanding the national and international market, to change or modify the marketing or production strategy accordingly.
IANS
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