BENGALURU: Farmers from Manipur who took part in the Millets and Organic expo at Bengaluru claim that the famed black rice, organic turmeric, king chilli and pineapple export from the hill state has taken a beating following the volatile situation due to the Kuki-Meitei clashes. The state has undergone a loss of Rs 40 crore in exports from these products alone.
According to Manipur Organic Mission Agency, the horticulture department of Manipur, nearly 5 lakh farmers involved in the cultivation of these products suffered a loss and many production units engaged in processing pineapple for making value-added products did not receive raw materials due to supply chain cut.
A farmer claimed that the state used to export about 30 tonnes of black rice to European nations, but due to the conflict, exports have been hit by at least 60 per cent. Similarly, pineapple supply to Gulf nations was also hit.
“The rice got a GI tag in May 2020, and in August 2021, one tonne of Manipur black rice was exported to Europe. The state also exports pineapple and organic ginger and all these have taken a severe beating due to the tension,” said a farmer.
Agreeing that the situation is precarious, K Devdutta Sharma, project director of Manipur Organic Mission Agency, said Manipur’s capital Imphal used to export 30 tonnes of black rice, 2,000 tonnes of dry turmeric, and 10 tonnes of king chilli. Due to conflict, exports took a hit and we accounted for a loss of about Rs 40 crore in 2023, he added.
“Apart from these products, Manipur produces 20,000 tonnes of pineapple, 600 tonnes of GI oranges, 300 tonnes of GI Kachai Lemon, and supply to places like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi was impacted due to the ongoing conflict. Between May and July 2023, the horticulture department estimated a loss of Rs 102 crore,” said the official.
MILLET MELA SAW 60K VISITORS ON DAY 1
Bengaluru: A day after inaugurating the Millet and Organics International Trade Fair, Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy said 60,000 people visited the expo on the first day. The fair attracted marketers from Australia, Europe, Kenya, Kuwait and UAE, saw 61 business-to-business meetings and signing of six contracts worth Rs 5.10 crore. As many as 40 foreign and 50 state marketers participated in the meetings. In the B2B meetings, 97 marketers and 154 manufacturers participated. In all, 310 stalls were set up at the fair.