From Saurav Borah
GAMBEGRE, Nov. 8: Rampant smuggling of areca nuts from Bangladesh, especially over the past year, has eroded profit margins of farmers across many villages in this laidback horticulture-rich constituency of Garo Hills.
Majority of the villagers in Gambegre are dependent on farming and horticulture as their primary source of income, with arecanut, cashew, black pepper and even rubber being the prime crops.
“However, over the past year or so, we are not getting the prices we used to get before. Now, a bag (containing eight to nine kilograms) of arecanuts fetches between Rs 3000 and Rs 3500 as against Rs 4000 and Rs 4500 before,” Kerison Sangma, a farmer residing at Aminda Simsang, informed this correspondent on Friday.
“Not just areca nuts but cashew nuts too are fetching Rs 70 to 80 per kg as against Rs 100 per kg and crop loss owing to diseases, compounding their woes. But smuggling of arecanuts is a worry, as increased supply of areca nuts here is affecting price realisation. Being the sole breadwinner, it concerns us,” Kerison (55) rued.
Kerison is not alone. Farmers among the 103 households at Aminda Simsang hinge on farming to run their families and many are not impressed by the goings-on, especially when it comes to the selling price of their produce.
There are other issues as well. “Water shortage is a problem and many villagers have to depend on the streams, which are drying up as winter approaches. JJM is yet to take effect and taps are yet to be installed at the households,” another farmer said.
Healthcare and education are basic amenities that elude many families. “The nearest PHC is three kilometres away but without doctors. So, during a medical emergency, patients have to be taken to the PHC at Darengre, 17 kilometres away, or even to Tura Civil Hospital, which is about 28km away,” Kerison said.
“Besides, we do not have high schools here. There are only middle schools. However, a centre for matric students was opened recently,” he said.
The kutcha road to Aminda Simsang has taken a long time to be upgraded under PMGSY. “There was a survey undertaken back in 2021 and the MLA had come here to oversee the progress. But till date, the road has remained kutcha,” Kerison said.
The black-topped road leading uphill to Aminda Simsang via villages like Dibilongre, Darengre and Gambegre is “fraught with danger” – pot-holed and partially broken, reportedly during heavy rain last month.
There are over 250 villages in the constituency and most of them have problems that are similar.
Villagers eye progress
Now, as the “high-profile” by-election to Gambegre LAC approaches, the current state of affairs is prompting the likes of Kerison to vote for development and better days.
“The ruling party generally has an advantage in a by-poll. But we expect a tough battle. As a farmer, I would vote for progress and better days in the form of basic amenities and enhanced income from farming activities. We anticipate a transformation after the by-poll,” the farmer, with ample knowledge of the state of affairs in Gambegre, said.
Asked who might have the last laugh, he chuckled, but quipped: “In Aminda Simsang, about 50 percent of the households are apparently keen on voting for a change. They are favouring the ruling party as they believe that the party in power can bring the schemes. The rest of the households are divided though. But the contest will be mainly between NPP, TMC and Congress.”