INDIAN STATE : MIZORAM

Agro-Horticulture

Organic varieties: Use of fertilizer and pesticides in agriculture and horticulture fields in Mizoram is almost non-existing. As such, all agri-horticulture output of Mizoram are organic products of very high-value in national and international market.
The crops mentioned below have tremendous potentials for marketing outside
the state:

• Fruit Crops: Fruits like Mandarin Orange, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, Hatkora, Banana and Papaya
• Vegetables Crops: Tomato, Brinjal, Bean, Pea and Iskut (Chow Chow).
• Spices Crops: Bird's eye chillies, Garlic, Ginger, turmeric, Black Pepper, Cardamom and Betel vine.
• Root & Tuber Crops: Potato, Sweet Potato and Colocasia.
• Plantation Crops: Tung, Coffee, Coconut and Areca nut.

Potential Agro-Horti Products:

Sesame: Sesamum (Chhawhchhi) is one of the most important edible oil seeds cultivated in Mizoram. It is grown as mixed crops in Jhum land. Sesamum is usually rich in oil (50%) and protein (18-20%). A 100 gm of seed provide 592 calories. Sesamum produced in Mizoram are mainly marketed to Assam. Traders use to collect the produce from farmers and carry to nearby market i.e. at Karimganj or Silchar. A Sesamum is a short-gestation crop. The quantity of the production can be increased or decreased according to demand.

Cotton: Cotton is the most important fibre crop cultivated in Mizoram. It is sown as mixed crop in Jhum land. It is grown mainly in the Western belt of Mizoram. There is vast potential for cultivation of cotton in Mizoram.At present the utilisation of cotton in Mizoram is concentrated only for making of quilts, pillows, cushions etc as there is no cottage industry for other purposes like making threads etc. The approximate cost of cotton in Mizoram is Rs.50.00 per Kg.

Tung: Tung (Aleurites Montana) is seen all over Mizoram. It is generally grown in homestead and garden lands in a scattered manner. Sometimes, it is grown in jhum lands in compact blocks having 275 plants per ha. The tung oil is used largely in paint industry and is considered as the best of the available oils in India. At present, castor, linseed and other oils are generally used in the paint industry and Tung oil could easily replace the other oils used by the industry. Thus, there will be no difficulty in marketing tung oil. At present, there are two Tung oil extraction units near Aizawl. The oilcakes can be used as fertilizer for the fields. Tung oil is marketed at the rate of Rs.40 per kg ex-factory.

Tung oil is chiefly imported from China. Given the right technology, tung oil extraction in Mizoram can be very profitable as an item of import-substitution. There is an immense scope for tung cultivation in Mizoram.

Orchids: Mizoram has a wide spectrum of orchids growing from the lower elevations to the high hills. The Orchids grown in the high hills fetch a good price in the market at Delhi and Calcutta. More than 200 varieties of Orchids have been identified in Mizoram till now. In view of the right agro-climatic conditions prevailing in Mizoram, there is an immense potential growing Orchids for large-scale commercial purposes.

Coffee: The climatic conditions of the mid-hill ranges of Mizoram with high rainfall and sufficient warmth almost throughout the year coupled with fertile, well drained, mildly acidic soil have been found to be congenial for successful cultivation of coffee. Coffee plantation can play an important role in the state of Mizoram. A very low gestation period of two years and the simple on farm processing of the produce are the favourable factors for large-scale cultivation in the state.

Since coffee based cropping system promises higher economic return for the farmers on a permanent basis, the government of Mizoram has been proposed to establish coffee plantations in an area of 10,000 hectares over a period of 10 years.

Tea: The tea produced in Mizoram has a distinct touch of quality and flavour similar to teas grown in high altitudes like the Nilgiris and Darjeeling. Biate has the largest area under tea, followed by Ngopa, Khawdungsei, NE Bualpui, Pawlrang, and Thungvei.There is a scope of setting up a mini tea processing plant at Biate in collaboration with the local cooperatives.
Bird-eye chilly: Mizoram is famous for bird-eye chilly, which is a prized-item in spices market abroad. This is a short-gestation crops and the yield can be increased within a matter of a year or two.

Food processing

The agro-climatic condition of Mizoram is conducive to agricultural and horticultural crops. As such, a strong and effective food-processing sector plays a significant supportive role. The total production of fruits, vegetables and spices will be increasing year by year as the number of farmers are weaning away from jhum cultivation and are taking up diversification towards cash-crops.

Food processing industry would help in diversification and commercialization of agriculture and horticulture and lead to value addition. It would result in employment generation in rural areas thereby providing income revenue and potential export prospects. Above all it would help in harnessing and exploiting local resources.

Importance of food processing unit in Mizoram:

1. Mizoram accounts for about 12 percent of the total output of fruits in the Northeast.
2. There is significant production of Orange (28,000 TPA), Banana (15,000 TPA), Pineapple (7,000 TPA), Passion fruit (4000 TPA). Besides Lemon, Papaya, Hatkora and a host of other fruits are grown in the State.
3. Very importantly, the per hectare yields of fruit crops in Mizoram are significantly lower and with better inputs, is capable of growing by 50 percent.
   

Existing food processing units:

The existing Food Processing units in the State of Mizoram are as follows:

1. Food Processing Plant, Sairang, Aizawl: This plant was commissioned in August 1994 the current actual installed capacity is reported to be 460 TPA. Mostly Pineapple is processed here.
   
2. Fruit Juice Concentrate Plant, Chhingchhip: This plant located also at Aizawl district was commissioned in May 1998.The present production is 600 TPA concentrate & 800 TPA single strength juice (both in terms of output).

Importantly, fruit juice concentrate commands an encouraging market both within and outside the country and thus the plant offers significant potential in terms of quantum and technology up gradations.

Potential for large-scale fruit processing unit:

Analysing the potential of the state, now the primary objective is to convert fruits, vegetables and spices into value-added products that can facilitate the marketing of the produce with reasonable profit for the farmer. For this purpose, the produce is to be collected by the village level and district level co-operatives and sent to the processing unit at state level for conversion and marketing the products. In the process, the processing unit is entrusted to a reputed private enterprise having marketing facilities within and outside the country.

There are potential to produce the following kinds of products from Mizoram:

Fruit products: Juice (RTS), squash, jam, jelly, fruit toffee or fruit bar, snack fruits, juice concentrate, fruit pulp, dried fruits.

Vegetable products: Dried vegetable canned vegetable, mixed pickle, tapioca and potato chips, sago and starch.

Spice products: Spice oil, spice oleoresin.

Weaning foods for babies and natural colours from plant materials.

Mizoram is an investor friendly state which invites prospective entrepreneurs and investors to come forward for setting up fruit processing plants in the state.