Erratic weather pushes Buxa orange cultivation into crisis

Alipurduar: Erratic weather conditions have severely impacted orange cultivation in the Buxa hills. This year, production has dropped so drastically that growers fear they will not earn any profit, threatening a livelihood that once sustained entire villages.

Located within the Buxa Tiger Reserve under Kalchini Block of Alipurduar district, the naturally grown orange orchards were once the backbone of the local economy. However, the devastating floods of 1993 destroyed large portions of these commercially valuable orchards, and production has never fully recovered since.

The crisis has deepened this year, with growers stating that even after harvesting for seven days, it is difficult to fill a single basket of oranges. Though slightly smaller in size, Buxa oranges are comparable to the aromatic Darjeeling mandarin and were once prized for their sweet flavour. At one time, the fruit was exported via Bangladesh to markets in the Middle East and Europe.

Orange grower Pincho Dukpa recalled the past with emotion.

“I worked from dawn to dusk plucking oranges and sending them to market, hoping for year-long security. Today, we are left with nothing,” he said.

According to the district Horticulture department, heavy rainfall in early October, lack of fog and dew, and a delayed winter have pushed orange production to an all-time low. At present, only about 12 hectares of orange orchards remain in the hilly villages.

Adverse weather, pests, and poor maintenance have led to premature orange fruit drop, prompting many growers to switch to ginger and cardamom. The Alipurduar administration distributed 10,000 improved Darjeeling mandarin saplings in July, but officials say it will take at least four years to bear fruit.

District Horticulture department official Dipak Sarkar said: “We are making every possible effort to restore the lost glory of orange cultivation in the Buxa hills. However, this is a time-consuming process.”