SHILLONG, Feb 21: Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma has assured that the government will examine the proposal for coming up with a minimum support price for areca nut.
Sangma however, said that the value of processed areca nut is almost 10 times the price. Therefore, value addition is the only way to move forward.
He said this while replying to a question raised by UDP legislator from Amlarem, Lahkmen Rymbui, who on Tuesday requested the state government to consider a minimum support price for areca-nut
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Rymbui said that the price of areca nut has come down drastically and this has led to more production but, less income to the farmers.
He was referring to a notification issued by the central government in 2020 fixing the minimum support price for areca nut at Rs 200
Satisfied with CM’s reply, Rymbui requested the government to consider setting up processing units in Amlarem to promote areca nut production and marketing.
Sangma however informed that two out of 46 processing units have been set up in Amlarem. He said close to Rs 41 lakh investment has been made apart from Rs 1 crore, which was already made.
Earlier in her reply, state minister in-charge of agriculture and farmers’ welfare, Ampareen Lyngdoh said that 46 processing units consisting of working shed, de-husking machines, solar tunnel dryers and soaked pits are being set up across 21 blocks in 10 districts. Total cost of these is Rs 14.06 crore.
34 units have been completed and the remaining 12 units will be completed in the coming months.
She said 10 lakh interest free working capital loan for aggregation and marketing of areca nut has been given to each of the 46 cooperatives.
Lyngdoh also said that areca nut is one of the items that the department of agriculture will be focusing in the years to come when replying to a query raised by UDP legislator from Mawkyrwat Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar, who wanted to know if areca nut would be considered as an export item. (NNN)
