Kolkata: The Agricultural Marketing department will soon draw up a plan for transporting premium-quality ginger, cardamom and sweet potato grown in the Buxa Hills of Alipurduar to the plains.
“There are around 14 villages in and around the Buxa Hills where excellent quality ginger, cardamom and sweet potato are cultivated. But due to the remote location of these villages, bringing the produce to the plains is a challenge.
If arrangements are made for transportation, the crops can be marketed better and farmers’ livelihoods will improve. We will shortly hold a meeting with the Agriculture and Horticulture departments and come out with a plan for marketing,” said Becharam Manna, minister in-charge of the Agricultural Marketing department.
On Sunday, Manna trekked from Lepchaka in the Buxa Hills, crossed Buxa Fort and reached Chunavati village. There he met local residents, inspected farmlands where large-scale cultivation of the three crops is underway and received a charter of demands from farmers.
“There is ample scope to improve the livelihood of farmers in these 14 remote villages. The ginger, sweet potato and squash grown here are of much higher quality than those cultivated in the plains and fetch higher prices.
The key is to introduce them into the market at the right time,” Manna said.
Officials said the route to the plains passes through the core area of Buxa Tiger Reserve, where restrictions on movement apply and this will have to be factored into any transportation plan.