SHILLONG: The state government has notified that the nomenclature of wild black pepper will now be ‘long pepper’ for all intents and purpose and together with tezpatta (bay leaf) these will henceforth be the mandated crops of the Agriculture department.
The notification is in pursuance of the decision taken in the meeting held on May 7 under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and will come into force with immediate effect.
Meanwhile, Mawsynram MLA and Congress leader HM Shangpliang has
hailed the decision of the government to notify bay leaf and long pepper as agricultural produce and not a forest produce any more.
He said that the government is also in the process of approving broomstick as non- forest produce.
Terming it as a historic moment, Shangpliang said farmers all along have had to pay taxes to the state government as well as the district council for the two items, but with the decision of the government, they would no longer be required to pay taxes and they can grow more plants which would fetch good money to them.
He also said that there is nothing wrong if the state government comes out with missions but these should be sustained.