Over the past month or so, farmers in North Mizoram have been protesting against the rampant smuggling of areca nuts from Myanmar, which has severely crippled local farmers and left them with an uncertain future. While the government has claimed that it is working towards curbing smuggling activities, data released by the Mizoram Police show that the farmers’ protest is not in vain.
On November 30, 2022, the Mizoram Police released a statement, which revealed the seizure of 4,524 bags of smuggled areca nuts in 2022. Eight people have been booked for the smuggling of areca nuts, valued at about Rs 5 crore.
Also Read | Mizoram: How smuggling broke the back of Hachhek’s areca nut farmers
“Smuggling of areca nuts has become a major cause of concern for the state of Mizoram, especially along the India-Myanmar Border as well as Interstate boundaries. The Government, Police and Civil Society have joined hands together for complete stoppage of illegal transportation of Myanmarese Areca nuts. Now armed with orders issued by most of the Districts Deputy Commissioners u/s 144 CrPC, prohibiting entry and exit of illegal Areca Nuts within their districts, we remain fully committed to continue and strengthen our efforts with active support and participation of civil society and all stakeholders for complete stoppage of illegal transportation of smuggled areca nuts. The general public is earnestly requested to immediately inform police in case of any information regarding illegal transportation of smuggled areca nuts. We also appeal to all to never take law in their own hands,” they said.
‘Seizure news confirms what we knew’
Despite a huge confiscation of smuggled areca nuts that have made their way from Myanmar, the areca nut farmers in Hachhek constituency continue to be in despair. These farmers are suffering huge losses due to the smuggling activities as Assam, their biggest export market, banned all areca nuts transported from Mizoram in a bid to curb smuggling activities.
Also Read | Is it possible to bring down the soaring power bills in Assam?
On December 15, 2022, the state government set up a task force and with the the Young Mizo Association. The plan? Take stringent measures against smuggling activities with a focus on areca nuts. As part of their initiative, there are plans to “set up duty posts and check gates as many as possible across the state and along the international borders”. They also plan to work together with the Assam Rifles and Border Security Force (BSF).
The state government announced its decision shortly after six vehicles transporting smuggled areca nuts were torched by an angry mob in Mamit district. However, the government’s initiatives are seen to be a futile attempt by the farmers.
Also Read | Nagaland construction workers: Unheard, invisible, and at risk
The Assistant Secretary of Hachhek Bial Kuhva Chingtu Pawl(HBKCP) an umbrella body of various betel nut grower societies in Hachhek constituency, Kanan Lalhlimawma told East Mojo, “There is no need to set up a task force. This is just an attempt of the government to show a good face. We have given a red mark to all the godowns holding smuggled areca nuts. We have intelligent and highly able officials. If they wanted, they could catch all of them in a short time, we are a small population of around 10 lakhs there should be no trouble identifying the culprits.Involving the civilians in the attempt to nab the smugglers could result in unwanted incidents as civilians are not trained to deal with such situations. Whether they want to stop the smuggling activity or let it continue, it is in their hands.”
The farmers had asked for a checkgate in Zamuang, a village in Zawlnuam block of Mamit District as there were a high number of smugglers taking the route, but they received a response saying the government does not have enough funds or police manpower for a checkgate. The association protested several times but Lalhlimawma believes it was to no avail, as they continue to sight vehicles transporting smuggled areca nuts.
EASTMOJO PREMIUM
Help sustain honest journalism.
Like many other farmers in his village, Lalhlimawma’s family invested all the money his father received as pension for their areca nut plantation. They planted around 40,000 trees and have been collecting their harvests for the past four or five years. “If we do not have a market our future is very dark. In most of the villages there are no government offices and around 99% of us are farmers who depend on areca nuts for our daily bread. It is not possible now to change to other crops as the soil will not easily suit other crops. In previous years we used to sell one bag for Rs. 3000 but this year since they cannot pass through the gate and have to find some other route, and also because factories in Hailakandi district and Karimganj have closed, we are selling one bag for Rs. 1500. In some villages, we have nothing to sell because the areca nut bunches have fallen from the tree. We might not get even half of our profits. The loss we face from one year’s harvest will affect us for many years as we will not be able to invest manpower and resources for the next year’s harvest.”
The government is attempting to take other measures too. They had asked the farmers to conduct a survey on the number of areca nut farmers and their expected harvests and field sizes, but the HBKCP official does not have much hope, “They are asking the farmers to conduct the survey. We are not sure what it is for. We are daily laborers and we have little time to go from house to house. We have already lost so much. Doesn’t the government have the required staff to do a survey?”
Also Read | For Zo refugees fleeing Bangladesh, BSF beating, ‘Mizoram is only hope’
You just read a story that took days to report. Help us keep our reporters on the ground in the Northeast.
Ad-free reading, support and keep important stories alive
Support once (any amount)
Scan to pay via UPI