Aizawl, June 3: Mizoram’s Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced on Tuesday that the state government is working to establish the Geographical Indication (GI) tagged Mizoram ginger as a premium agricultural product in both national and international markets. The initiative aims to boost farmers’ income and strengthen the state’s agricultural economy.
He stated that efforts have been intensified to enhance ginger production, processing, and market access. Last year, the NITI Aayog declared Mizoram as “India’s Ginger Capital” due to its significant ginger production and growing contribution to the sector.
During the inauguration of the Mizo Ginger USP Mission projects in Falkland, which includes price support schemes for Arhar (tur), sesame, and sunflower, as well as the NCEL Ginger Export Awareness Workshop, the Chief Minister highlighted that ginger is one of Mizoram’s most important crops. The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) has also recognized it as the state’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP).
He noted that while Mizoram’s ginger may be small in size, its high quality and medicinal properties give it a unique identity in the market.
The Chief Minister emphasized the need for farmers to focus on processing and value addition rather than selling raw ginger to enhance their income and promote sustainable farming.
He informed that the state government, in collaboration with the DoNER Ministry, has launched a sustainable farming and post-harvest management project. This initiative will establish four modern ginger processing units in Champhai, Mizoram’s largest ginger-producing district. The DoNER Ministry has allocated ₹30.13 crore for this project.
This initiative is expected to benefit around 20,000 ginger-producing families and create approximately 100 jobs. The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude to Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia for his support.
Additionally, the state government is working on developing high-value products like ginger oil and other processed items. The National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) has been tasked with training farmers and producers on export processes and market access to boost exports.
In a move to support farmers, the Chief Minister announced that the Prime Minister’s Asha (PM-Asha) price support scheme will be implemented in Mizoram for the current Kharif season. Under this scheme, the minimum support price (MSP) for Arhar (tur), sesame, and sunflower crops will be guaranteed.
The MSP has been set at ₹84.50 per kilogram for Arhar, ₹103.46 per kilogram for sesame, and ₹83.43 per kilogram for sunflower.
Purchases of these crops will be conducted at designated collection centers in collaboration with the Mizoram Agricultural Marketing Board and Nafed. Payments will be made directly to farmers’ bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), ensuring transparency and eliminating middlemen.
The Chief Minister stated that in addition to the existing MSP schemes, the inclusion of three more crops under the central government’s price support will provide farmers with additional security and better market opportunities.
He urged farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), cooperatives, and relevant departments to work together to ensure the success of these schemes and projects.
Approximately 250 participants attended the event, including farmers, FPO representatives, cooperative members, and officials from various districts. Following the program, an awareness workshop on ginger exports was also conducted by NCEL.
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