Biplab Kr Dey
Tura/Baghmara/ Shallang, Feb 15: Garo Hills has always been blessed with a climate that allows for vegetation to not only grow quickly but also produce quality produce. Whether it is the case of cashew nuts, turmeric, pepper, ginger, broomsticks, oranges and even betel nuts.
The success story of betel nuts in the Garo Hills region has to be seen to be believed. The product has been so successful that people with perfectly formed plantations of other cash crops cleared their hills to begin planting areca nuts that continued to give them very good returns. However, all this has now begun to change though not for the better.
The reason – the illegal smuggling of processed betel nuts of the Burmese variety that is being routed through neighbouring Bangladesh through the districts of South Garo Hills, West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills.
“Betel nut plantations became the rage as the product has a very high demand in neighbouring states of Assam and even other parts of India. Some of the best quality is grown locally and continues to sell despite the continued increase in rates every year. Farmers were making upwards of Rs 10 lakhs per annum even with a little more than average plantation area,” said Tuesbrail Marak, a resident of Rongjeng.
Betel nut plantations in Garo Hills became a rage after it was promoted by various C&RD blocks under MGNREGA to provide for sustainable incomes. The fact that returns were quick and good, if the plant is cared for, provided the icing on the cake. Many farmers converted plantations into betel nut plantations and there was cheer within for those indulging in its farming as the returns were good and so was the produce.
However the scenario has changed over the past few years with the continued smuggling of Burmese ‘supari’ in bulk through the borders into the state of Meghalaya and beyond. The numbers being brought into the state is so huge in numbers that it dwarfs out the amount produced locally by a huge margin.
As per sources, the illegal import of betel nut into India through SGH began more than 4 years ago. While initially it began with only about 1-2 trucks per week, the numbers grew steadily after unofficial sanction from some in authority. The situation became so profitable that multiple routes of entry into India through SGH, WKH and SWKH were worked on. The numbers increased to more than 30 trucks moving through these 3 districts on a daily basis.
All these trucks mainly plied through the night until the early morning to avoid detection with all people that were in the know carefully managed with blessings from the top.
Despite all and sundry knowing about these clandestine operations, no action has ever been taken against any of these trucks or even one seized. While it may come as surprising to many, the fact that these trucks moved with elan through all the police stations and check posts meant to stop the smuggling, pointed to a serious conduit between the operators and the end smuggler.
With each truck carrying more than 15 MT of processed betel nut (chikki), its impact on the market was not felt immediately after the smuggling operations began. Slowly and steadily however the impact of this operation has grown.
While earlier top-quality betel nuts went for Rs 8000 per bag, this year, getting even Rs 5000 per bag has become a luxury.
“Yesterday when we checked the rates in Kharkutta, farmers claimed they could hardly get Rs 4800 per bag of supari. This is the peak season and imagine no one wants to buy from us as Burmese betel nut has flooded the market. This in reality also reduced prices of processed betel nuts by almost 20-30% in various markets in Assam,” said a resident of Dainadubi, Brayan Marak.
While processed betel nuts would sell for close to Rs 800 a kg, it has now come down to about Rs 550 in Dudhnoi in Assam’s Goalpara. Incidentally most syndicate members of the smuggling racket belong to this district in Assam with protection for their operations coming right from the top.
To understand the current situation one does not need to look beyond the village of Siju in SGH. Arguably the best quality betel nuts are produced in the area with demand being extremely high for the product. Rates, per bag (two jute packets) were close to Rs 8000. Now there are hardly any serious customers coming their way and this has had a severe impact on prices and returns of the planters.
According to reports, some of these planters had even approached social organizations to seek an end to the smuggling as it would mean their ruin in the long run. While the numbers have now reduced from SGH, SWKH and WKH are another matter altogether.
“We know that these operations are blessed from the top as there can be no other explanation as to how they have continued this for so long without support. While those that have made the deal with the devil in this case, can rest on a little money, it is us, with our extended families and nothing else to bank upon that are bearing the brunt of their greed. What kind of people put their own in peril just to make a few bucks,” asked a resident from Siju on condition of anonymity.
The situation is similar in all other places with all reporting reduced prices in betel nuts by close to 30% this year due to the lack of demand.
“These are senseless people who don’t understand that their greed is killing their own. If they understood what was happening in the various markets and to us, they would have seen the pain we are going through just because they want to make a fast buck at our expense. What is the use of making promises that they are there to help us when they are the ones that are causing our ruin? If they have any iota of shame, they will immediately put a stop to this shameless bashing of the poor man,” felt another from Siju, again on the condition of anonymity.