Mizoram procures Rs 95 cr worth of Ginger under Bana Kaih scheme, faces sale challenges

Aizawl: The Mizoram government has procured over 3.45 lakh quintals of ginger worth Rs 95.28 crore from farmers under its flagship ‘Bana Kaih’ (Handholding) scheme, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister PC Vanlalruata informed the Assembly on Thursday.

Responding to questions during the ongoing monsoon session, Vanlalruata said the government procured the ginger between January 20 and June 30, 2025, paying farmers Rs 50 per kg at designated Secondary Collection Centres as promised.

Despite investing over Rs 95 crore in procurement, the government earned only Rs 12.78 crore by selling the ginger to companies through an auction system, where preference went to the highest bidders.

Vanlalruata added that about Rs 45 crore is still pending for release to the farmers. He assured the House that the state had already sought assistance from the Centre under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) and would soon clear the remaining dues.

The Minister acknowledged challenges during procurement, alleging that some non-ginger farmers bought ginger from Myanmar and sold it to the government for profit, creating hurdles in implementation.

He emphasized that the Bana Kaih scheme aims to uplift farmers by providing a support price for five key crops, ginger, turmeric, chilli, broomsticks, and unhusked rice, a major election promise of the ruling Zoram People's Movement (ZPM).

Launched in September 2024, the scheme received a significant budget boost in the current fiscal year. The government allocated Rs 350 crore for 2025–26, marking a 75% increase from the Rs 200 crore earmarked in 2024–25.