Mizoram Pushes Quality Over Quantity for Arecanut Growers

Aizawl: Mizoram wants more cash for its arecanut farmers. State Land Resources, Soil and Water Conservation Minister Lalthansanga told growers in Lunglei on October 23 that the state needs to stop chasing volume and start chasing value. Cultivation currently covers 67,380 hectares, yielding an estimated 5.12 lakh quintals for the 2025-26 financial year.

The minister pushed for scientific management of plantations to fight off local pest and disease outbreaks. He warned against dumping pesticides without a plan. He said, "It is not enough to simply cultivate a crop and harvest its produce. We have to focus on producing better-quality and higher-yielding crops and ensuring better prices for them."

His department is partnering with the ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute to study these threats. The government is also building drying and processing units at Zamuang in Mamit district and Chemphai in Kolasib district. Funding for these facilities comes from the North Eastern Council.

Officials hope to issue Certificates of Origin soon. This move aims to prove where the nuts grew and cement the brand identity of Mizoram-grown produce. Better branding could mean higher prices for every quintal sold.