'Mission organic' wreaking havoc on fruit and vegetable trade in Sikkim

Darjeeling: The ban on sale of certain non-organic vegetables and fruits in Sikkim by the Sikkim Democratic Front government, has started to take a toll on the vegetable and fruit market of Siliguri.

It has also drawn flak from different quarters in Sikkim. The All Sikkim Trader's Association has also decided to seek legal recourse against the ban.

In a bid to further boost the image of it being an organic state, the Sikkim government led by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, has announced a ban on sale of certain non-organic vegetables, fruits, spices and condiments and a cereal from April 1.

A Home department, government of Sikkim order, dated March 31, 2018, regulated the sale of certain non-organic agricultural and horticultural commodities, with an objective to "prevent risk to the health of human beings, animals and environment" and "deemed it expedient that such commodities shall be liable to be seized and disposed of." Amidst scarcity of vegetables and fruits coupled with skyrocketing prices, the enforcement team of the Horticulture department, government of Sikkim, has been conducting raids in markets in Gangtok and surrounding areas, having confiscated non-organic vegetables worth more than Rs 4 lakh.

Huge pits were dug at Majhitar, Rangpo and East Sikkim and the confiscated vegetables and fruits were dumped in those pits on Wednesday.

"This move to ban non-organic produce will definitely lead to a food scarcity and there is nothing much that we can do. Owing to short supply of vegetables, prices have skyrocketed, that too in this peak tourist season. We have no other option than to go to court against this," stated Lakpa Sherpa, vice-president, All Sikkim Trader's Association.

Sherpa informed that Sikkim farmers cannot meet the requirements, especially during tourist season. More than 95 percent of the vegetables and fruits are brought in from Siliguri in West Bengal.

The ban has emerged as a major economic crisis for traders in Siliguri. "Both traders and farmers of Bengal are being affected. Both the Khuchro Byabshai Samity and Siliguri Fruits and Vegetables Commission Agents have written to the West Bengal government to help resolve this issue. Earlier, it was a near blanket ban. However now, they are allowing potatoes, onion, garlic, chilies, carrot and tomatoes to be taken from Siliguri to Sikkim," stated Tapan Saha of the regulated market, Siliguri.

Around 70 tonne of vegetables used to make their way from the Siliguri market to Sikkim before the ban.

The social media too is rife with criticism over the way the confiscated vegetables were disposed of on Wednesday.

Many feel that the confiscated vegetables could have been distributed in old-age homes, orphanages and among the poor and needy. If not in Sikkim, they could have been sent back to Bengal. "Throwing food away is like stealing from the poor and hungry. It is a crime," stated J Chettri, in a social media post.

Even the Opposition parties are up in arms against this move in Sikkim. "During a meeting with the Union Home minister Rajnath Singh, I updated him on the imbroglio concerning the organic issue of Sikkim, wherein the Sikkimese people's right to food and preferences has been snatched away by this draconian law. The Home minister expressed surprise and anguished over such an immature exercise," claimed Sonam Lama, MLA, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha.

The Sikkim National People's Party has demanded an immediate roll back of the ban. The party has also demanded a thorough inquiry by an independent and impartial agency into the "organic mission", based on the findings of the CAG as documented in their annual reports, since the inception of the mission.