Betel nut farmers in crisis: Tripura State Committee of AIKS demands immediate action

Agartala (Tripura) [India], May 31 : The agricultural sector in Tripura is on the brink of collapse, with betel nut farmers bearing the brunt of the crisis. The Tripura State Committee of the All-India Krishak Sabha (AIKS) has sounded the alarm on the severe economic deprivation facing thousands of farmers in the state.
In a deputation meeting with the Director of the Horticulture Department, representatives from the Betel Nut Growers Association under the State Farmers Council presented a three-point demand document.
At a subsequent press conference, Pavitra Kar, Secretary of the AIKS Tripura State Committee, described the plight of approximately 25,000 betel nut farmers and their associated bamboo workers. He stressed that the livelihood of lakhs of people is at risk due to government neglect, which has led to a lack of essential cultivation support, including mustard seed shell manure.
Babul Debnath, Secretary of the Jute Betel Nut Growers Association, outlined urgent measures needed to save betel nut cultivation.
He highlighted the disuse of the largest cold store in the Northeast, built in Nalua during the Left Front government, which has left farmers without storage facilities for their excess production. Debnath also criticised ruling party intermediaries for taking a 10 percent cut from betel prices, further squeezing farmers' profits.
Unkoti and Jampui, the main production areas for betel nuts, have seen business worth crores of rupees nearly come to a standstill. Police restrictions and ruling party interference prevent outsiders from accessing these areas, forcing farmers to sell their produce at minimal prices and pushing them into debt.
The AIKS has made several demands to the government, which include the provision of easy-term loans for betel growers, government support for betel cultivation, the construction of betel storage facilities under the REGA project, assistance for betel growers affected by natural calamities, the establishment of a training and research centre for betel cultivation, sale of betel through cooperatives in Agartala, the free supply of mustard shell fertiliser and pesticides, discounts on rice and bamboo costs, the inclusion of betel growers under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Samman Nidhi, the construction of greenhouses for betel cultivation, and initiatives to expand betel nut cultivation.
The demands also include the provision of free quality betel nut seedlings and government assistance for selling betel nuts within and outside the state.
The Director of Horticulture has assured that some measures will be taken to address these issues. The press conference also saw the participation of association leaders Swapan Das, Anil Majumdar, and Mrinalkanti Ghosh, all calling for immediate and decisive government action to rescue the state's betel nut farmers from their dire predicament.