Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Aizawl: Mizoram kicked off the 11-day Hnahsin Kut, or cosmos flower festival, in the Champhai district on October 6. Horticulture Minister C Lalsawivunga inaugurated the event at Zotlang Mual. It runs through October 16. The Champhai Nature Conservancy, along with the Horticulture and Tourism departments, runs the show.
Lalsawivunga invited visitors from across India and abroad to explore the district. The event acts as a stage to promote eco-cultural tourism. It highlights the natural and cultural heritage of the area. Last year, the festival pulled in 1.2 lakh visitors. It drove roughly Rs 20 crore in economic activity. Stall owners pocketed Rs 2 crore. Hotels and homestays brought in another Rs 1.4 crore.
The minister touted the district's growing agro-based industries. The Champhai Grape Growers' Society winery at Tlangsam moved 75,000 litres of wine for Rs 6.54 crore. A second facility at Hnahlan produced 80,000 litres, banking Rs 3 crore. Farmers currently work 375 hectares of passion fruit. A new processing unit for the fruit at New Champhai will open shortly.
The government's Zau Policy pushes cluster-based farming, seen in cabbage crops at Samthang. Champhai also leads the state in ginger. The Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region approved a major processing plant for the Mizo Ginger Mission. Lalsawivunga said, "Mualkawi has been selected as the main site for the facility, while smaller processing units have been proposed at Zotlang, Vaphai and Tualcheng." Officials will also hold a Mizo Ginger Day during the festival.
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