MIZORAM Export promotion Scheme Bamboo Trade: With the policy reform in regard to management, harvesting, utilisation of natural bamboo resources in the State and promoting bamboo plantation development, it is expected that bamboo trade shall receive a fillip. With increased bamboo harvesting before the Mautam and establishment of bamboo industries and with support incentive framework, trade in bamboo and bamboo products within and outside the State shall grow. It shall be the endeavour of the State to promote trade in bamboo and bamboo products among the Mizo people. The bamboo traders shall be organised into trade associations with linkages with bamboo growers and the bamboo processing industries and bamboo exporters to rationalise the bamboo trade practices. Export will be promoted through establishment of Export Promotion Zones as envisaged in the Industrial Policy of Mizoram, 2000. Bamboo Industries : The Bamboo policy framework shall be encourage and promote establishment of bamboo enterprises and industries in cottage, small and medium industries sectors linked to the need of bamboo produce/ products within and outside the State. In the initial stage, many of these industries shall be established based on the Mautak bamboo which will be the major bamboo resource of the State suitable for manufacturing bamboo mat board, chop sticks, bamboo shoots, agarbatti sticks and other handicraft products. The New Industrial Policy of Mizoram 2000 with its thrust on bamboo industries development and associated incentives and subsidy framework shall encourage establishment of such industries and enterprises. Conjunctively, the bamboo policy shall lay emphasis on adopting and using proven technology suitable for manufacturing improved quality products catering to very specific needs and markets and establishing linkages within and outside the State. While simple technologies and manufacturing processes can be adapted by cottage and handicrafts sectors, import of technology shall also be encouraged and adopted in small and medium sector industries to produce quality products for sale within and outside the State and for export purposes. Bamboo mat boards and bamboo ply boards can be promoted as wood substitute for the growing construction needs within and out- side the State. This will not only result in a value addition to bamboo products but will also be a wood substitute reducing use of timber within the State. Use of bamboo and bamboo products shall be emphasized in Government constructions where such uses are feasible and incentives shall be given for use of bamboo products in private and community constructions. Standard housing designs for various constructional purposes shall be evolved taking help of national and international expertise available 0ther industrial use of bamboo is in manufacturing bamboo flooring, bamboo shoot industry and bamboo furniture in conjunction with timber and cane. These sectors need adoption of improved technology, standard/improved designs and improved artisan skill which will be actively promoted. Assistance of experts shall be taken in identifying 1
suitable technology, product designs and in imparting training to artisans and craftsmen. Promotion of Bamboo industries would be undertaken by the State Industries department. High value products will necessitate effective and appropriate manufacturing process and market and export linkages. This policy shall encourage joint ventures with entrepreneurs outside the State including foreign enterprises with technology, finance and export linkages. This arrangement will channelise the resources through local traders and manufacturing industries into domestic and international markets earning handsome revenue for the State. Present export policy in agro industry encourages such arrangements which should also be adopted and encouraged for bamboo sector development in the State. A. SCHEME PROPOSED UNDER MIZORAM INTODELHNA PROGRAMME Component-I State Matching Share for Oil Palm (ISOPOM) Oil Palm development scheme under ISOPOM is launched in Mizoram for self sufficiency in edible oil, to motivate farmers to switch over from jhum cultivation to permanent settlement and to create income generation opportunities for small and marginal farmers. State Matching Share for Oil Palm under Integrated Scheme of Oil Seeds, Pulses, Oil palm and Maize (ISOPOM) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 75:25 sharing basis between Government of India and Government of Mizoram. The Scheme is expected to generate a self sustain economy with the help of Central Government and this scheme will be a development model for Mizoram. Component-II Management Component Mizoram Intodelhna Programme (MIP) envisages investment of fund in various sectors of the economy to fill in the shortcomings and gaps of the plan allocation for a major boast to the farming economy covering the whole state. Various developmental schemes are contained in the programme which require technocrats and staff for supervision and monitoring of works including office maintenance. Component-III Development of Oil Palm Cultivation: Oil Palm development scheme under ISOPOM is launched in Mizoram for self sufficiency in edible oil, to motivate farmers to switch over from jhum cultivation to permanent settlement and to create income generation opportunities for small and marginal farmers. Godrej Agro vet Ltd. and Food, Fats Fertilizers Ltd. agreed to buy the oil palm bunch from Mizoram at a 2
reasonable price.the various provisions made under Oil Palm Development which is mainly to plug the gaps in resources are -1).Cost of Planting materials @ Rs 30/-per seedlings 2) Transportation charges of seedlings 3) Potential Connectivity for Oil Palm cultivation areas @ Rs 3.00 lakh per Km. 4) Creation of Irrigation- (a) Community Water Tank @ Rs 1.00 lakh (b) Water Harvesting Structure @ Rs 0.5 lakh (c) Drainage line treatment @ Rs 8350/-per 100 mt, 5) Construction of Table top/half-moon terraces for plantation of oil palm @ Rs 0.3 lakh per ha.. Component-IV Development of Passion Fruit Passion Fruit, is a choice crop of the tropical and sub-tropical belts and yields a sprightly juice with a sweet fragrance rich in Vitamin A. As Mizoram has the ideal climatic condition it has performed exceptionally well in the higher elevation of the state, especially after the Technology Mission (TM) intervention. This is extremely conducive for increasing the area under Passion fruit which will not only uplift the economy of the poor farmers but will also help in adequate supply of raw materials to the Juice Extraction Plant at Chhingchhip. Besides the above, this crop is being given due importance in the year of Mautam (Bamboo flowering) as an alternate crop choice with the anticipation that the pergola technology of cultivation would be less susceptible to rodent damage. AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT (MIP) Component-V Development of Turmeric Turmeric is an important crop with many uses in drug and cosmetic industries besides being used for culinary purposes. It is widely used as a medicinal plant for external application and taken internally as a curative and stimulant. So this crop having high marketability and demand with manifold uses is being taken up in a big way under MIP through the Horticulture Department. Akin to the objective of selecting Passion fruit, Turmeric too has been opted for as an alternate crop. Since it is a known fact that they are relatively less susceptible to damage by rodents that are expected to attack other standing crops. Component-VI Development of Patchouli Cultivation : Patchouli is a herbaceous plant native to South East Asia. The leaves yield Patchouli Oil which is of great importance in the perfume industry. The MIP have initiated cultivation of Patchouli because of its market assurrance and high price and perhaps more importantly after a successful pilot demonstration of the crop during 2005-2006. 3
Component-VII Development of Jatropha Cultivation : MIP in its best effort to diversify agriculture to bring socio-economic transformation especially in rural areas of the state is aware of the need to tow the line of growth with clean development mechanism. The importance is therefore given to the call of the National Bio fuel mission by Government of India. With the above in view and with the objective of securing the energy security environmental friendly and economic benefits of green fuel development, MIP has placed due thrust to the extensive propagation of Jatropha cultivation. Moreover, the program is expected to provide continuous direct and indirect employment opportunities to the rural poor. Vast area and lands besides the cultivable area would be utilised for Jatropha plantation due to its wide adaptability features which would help in utilizing the available vacant lands. Also Jatropha could replace existing nonrenumerative crops with its higher productivity. Component-VIII Development of Maize and Soya bean: Maize is an important cereal, over 85% of its production in India is consumed directly as food in various forms. Since maize is a short duration-crop, it conveniently fits into a wide range of crop rotations. Green maize plants acts as succulent fodder crop. It is also widely used in animal feed particularly as poultry feed. Soya bean treated as both oilseed and pulse crop is a crop with high percentage of protein content (40 %) and oil (20 %) content in the seed. Many different products can be made out of Soya bean, besides it being a widely acclaimed health food. Soya bean is also widely used in animal feed as it forms an important ingredient in production of animal feed. Thus Maize and Soya bean are two important crops which is required for preparation of animal feed in the state. As the production of Maize and Soya bean is not adequate in the state, the present production level is grossly insufficient to feed the two newly commissioned animal feed plant in the state viz. under PIGFED, ITI Veng, Aizawl with a production of 20-30 qtl. per day requiring 20 qtls of Maize/ day and 7 qtls of Soya bean/day and Animal Feed Plant (MODAFER) under Department of AH & Vety with a capacity of 50 ton/day and requiring 50 qtls. maize/day and 10 qtls. Soya bean/day. To meet the requirement of these two Animal feed plants, MIP has embarked on a program to increase the area and production of these two crops in the state. This project therefore constitutes one of the core thrust area for MIP. Component-IX Sericulture Development Sericulture can be considered as one of the trades to effectively and systematically create sustainable permanent occupation to the rural poor, enhance self-employment avenues at large to uplift the rural economy of the state. The Sericulture development program has 4
particularly performed very satisfactorily in the State, and has provided for sustained source of income to many farmers who have opted for this trade. The Government has flagged this program as one of the effective option for poverty alleviation and thus find an important place in MIP programming. Component-X Marketing Development. Marketing of Agriculture produces is a priority component of MIP. A marketing Sub committee is in place to conduct search and research of marketing avenues to access remunerative markets. Moreover, MIP is also prepared in emergencies to intervene in market operation to ensure that farmers get remunerative prices for the produces. Thus while their will be requirement of funds for market feasibility study, networking of collection centres, post harvest management, there is also a need to provide for funds for direct intervention by way of creating a revolving funds. Which will utilized for immediate payment to the farmers for the produces like passion fruit etc. which will stand replenished after the sale/disposed to the end buyers. This market support arrangement will go a long way to help the farmers who are otherwise vulnerable to distress sale of their produces as has been experienced in the past. Component-XI Development of Sugarcane Sugarcane, the main source of sugar in the country is widely grown in the state of Mizoram. The department of Agriculture is taking up Organic Sugarcane development in a major way and MIP aims at filling up the gaps under NCA. The requirement of fund for sugarcane development is proposed at Rs.130.00 lakh for the year 2007-2008 and Rs.390.00 lakh for the 11th Five Year Plan. Component -XII Development of Potato Potato, continues to have a special place and value as food, and forms an important part of the daily palate in almost all the houses in the country, North Eastern States is no exception. This crop is very well suited to the climatic conditions of the state. It is particularly, a prefered crop for multi-cropping practice to which the farming communities have been encouraged to practice. Component XIII Hydrogers/hydrams Mizoram receives an abundant rainfall from the month of May November while the months of January to April and December is dry and there is an acute shortage of water 5
during these period. The state can boast of irrigation channels/rivulets with perennials source of water. The drops of water along these channels and the water from rivulets can be utilised as a good source of irrigation to the needy cultivators during the dry months. Component XIV Construction of Project Area Connectivity (Link Road) Department of Agriculture and Horticulture have launched various schemes for production programmes for oilseeds, fruits and vegetables, etc. To provide better mobility of inputs and farm produces it is very important to construct proper road connectivity infrastructure. MIP also has taken up additional programmes for large scale production of Agri-Horti produces which require 592.67 km of road connectivity with an estimated cost of Rs.348.00. Component XV Integrated Land Development Government of Mizoram launched scheme for increasing production of various crops through on-farm land development and terraces for the extension of area for cultivation of oil palms, aromatic plants, fruits and vegetables. To increase their productivity, proper land development is highly essential. Increase in arable land results in increase in food grain production. Under On farm development for WRC are various components viz.leveling, Binding, Reshaping, Drainage etc. and construction of terraces at various places is proposed. 6