GUWAHATI: Papayas cultivated by a trio of militant-turned-farmers in Goalpara have found a market in Dubai, thanks to the efforts of government agencies to facilitate such a market linkage.
A consignment of red lady papayas weighing 500kg grown in Jonaimari near Dudhnoi in Goalpara district was flown from the LGBI airport here to the UAE metropolis on Monday evening.
The three former ULFA militants – Karna Ray, Basudev Basumatary, Promothes Ray – along with two other youths, Jiten Basumatary and Parag Basumatary, have established a farmers’ group called Jonaimari Panchajyoti Krishak Got and turned a barren five bigha plot into a thriving, organic farm in just about four to six months.
“The farm produces around a quintal of ripe papaya daily and the average production of crop per plant is around 40 to 60 kg. The farmers used boiled neem water as pesticide, along with natural manure such as cow dung and compost. It is therefore 100 per cent organic and a reason why the vegetable grown may be a natural choice for niche markets in the country and abroad,” said R. Choudhury, an acquaintance of the youths in Goalpara on Tuesday.
Initially though funds and expertise were a problem.
“I was told by one of them that it was not easy as they were short of funds and expertise, including knowledge about cultivation and management of a farm over a period of time,” he said.
Market linkage too was another limitation as finding the buyers who would lift a sizeable quantity was another alien area for the youths. But thanks to government agencies including the state industry department, these youths, now in the mainstream, may hope for a long, resourceful haul leading to income security.
Industry sources here said on Tuesday that the youths were groomed by the department officials and that more such papayas, “about 600 to 700 kg initially” from the farm would be sent to markets outside the region and overseas. “They have a good demand overseas,” a source said.
Papaya is a tropical fruit having commercial importance because of its high medicinal and nutritive value and ‘red lady’ is a hybrid dwarf variety and high yielding.
It is pertinent to note that the commissioning of the customs clearance facility at the LGBI airport last month, not too far from where the farmers’ group has set up the farm, is a boon for upcoming and new farmers with exporters mulling sending consignments of vegetables and fruits weekly to markets abroad.
Earlier, lack of such a facility meant that the consignments had to be sent to either Kolkata or Delhi for checking and clearance. Agencies such as APEDA have been facilitating market linkages to farmers in Assam of late on a regular basis.
“Spices Fresh, a subsidiary of Spice Jet, had on November 28 lifted oranges from the Northeast to overseas markets. It is now going to lift Assam lemon to southern states after tying up with farmers today. They will need around two tones per week initially. Assam lemon has seeds and so will take time to export,” an industry official said here on Tuesday.