Our Reporter
Dimapur, July 4 (EMN): Nagaland state faces challenges like high transportation cost, lack of processing units and poor marketing facility, said Director of Horticulture department, R Elithung Lotha, who spoke on the potential and prospects of spices sector in Nagaland during the recently concluded International Buyer Seller Meet and Spices Conclave for Northeastern Region at Guwahati.
The two-day conclave organised by Spice Board of India concluded on July 1.
Lotha said that other challenges faced by farmers in Nagaland were crop damage due to natural calamities, infestations resulting in decrease of crop yield, non-availability of good quality planting materials, lack of drying machinery resulting in poor quality products, and lack of facilities for proper packaging, labelling and branding of the product, according to an update.
He also stated that setting up of processing units and post harvest infrastructures were required for scaling up production of spices.
Further, he updated that the area and production of spices in Nagaland during 2021-22 was 12451.4 hectare and 59377.25 metric ton.
Area and production of major spices in Nagaland
| Crop | Area (Ha) | Production (MT) |
| Ginger | 4724 | 35321 |
| Turmeric | 648.10 | 9135.10 |
| Large Cardamom | 3990 | 2263 |
| Naga King Chilli | 606 | 2582 |
Sharing about large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.), Lotha updated that during the recent years, there has been decline in the production due to use of suckers as planting material, and the government has initiated guidelines for seedling planting materials for enhancement in production.
Area and production of spices under Mission Organic Value Chain Development (Table 2)
| Crop | Area (Ha) | Production (MT) |
| Large cardamom | 1686 | 843 |
| King Chilli | 500 | 1200 |
| Ginger | 4970 | 16060 |
| Turmeric | 400 | 2450 |
| Chilli |
| 300 |
| 1250 |
| Total | 7856 | 21803 |
Two Naga women -- Avonuo Vero and Tosheli Sema – were among the recipients of Large Cardamom Productivity Award 2020-21 which was given during the International Buyer Seller Meet and Spices Conclave for Northeastern Region.
The duo from Nagaland was awarded INR 50,000 each along with certificates for winning the second prize at the conclave held on June 30 and July 1 at Guwahati. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswas Sarma handed over the awards to the recipients.