Ginger; it is exceeding the Achievement Target in Tripura but where’s the Market?

Introduction:-

                Once I had a chance to taste sweet ginger the value added product during my short training program in one of the premier management institute of India. One of the trainees from Mizoram state had given that value added ginger product which I still remember but now, with this post I’m here to elaborate how ginger is fairing in the state Tripura in terms of production and subsequent marketing.

              Ginger, it is considered one of the spices here at Tripura; it has varieties of usage in the society. The main usage being the non-vegetarian food preparation, of course, ginger is also used in varieties of Ayurvedic medicines which we find in the market.

             Ginger, many of us consider as indicated above for culinary preparation either vegetarian or non-vegetarian but most prominently in the non-vegetarian dish preparation.

Other than the aforementioned usage, there’s hardly any visible activity around ginger or ginger produce in the state Tripura.

Present trends in ginger production:-

            Ginger in Tripura is quite age old and traditional as far as importance and acceptance by the people of the state is concerned. It is available in all house hold for culinary preparation or for medicinal purpose.

           State agriculture department of Tripura is seriously pursuing the popularization of ginger cultivation in economic scale for increasing the economic status of the people. In the Economic review-2006-07, state has achieved the specific objective in increasing the total area of ginger cultivation in the state.
       Of course, there’s production variation or constraints due to several agronomical factors associated with the cultivation of ginger cultivation in the state.

           The main issue with the ginger in the state Tripura is; it is yet to come to the main cultivable land for its cultivation. It is still cultivated in the sloppy land/upland or Jhum in the state.

          The main ginger cultivation at present is concentrated in the north Tripura districts particularly in Jampui hill. In jampui hill, people are cultivating the ginger in the sloppy Jhum, in fact Jampui produces considerable share in terms of total ginger production in the state.

Marketing avenues for ginger:-

         There are no definitive marketing avenues for the ginger in the state Tripura. At present, ginger is sold in the retail in every market however, the contrasting aspect of the matter is; ginger is available in all market but how the produce is sold is the main theme I want to illustrate here.

          There is absolutely no bulk purchase in the market. Of course, the exception is when whole seller purchase from the producer otherwise, in the market, ginger is in demands for 100 to 200 grams by almost every intending customer in the state.

        That means, there is risk factor involved in the marketing of the ginger in the market. Any farmer venturing hugely in the ginger cultivation in the state would compromise his/her economic stability with the present bulk demands in the state.

           The present situation of course, it can be plainly said that it is well placed with the present state of production because market is not ripe to dislodge any extra at this prevailing condition.

Creating avenues for value addition and processing of ginger:-

         The climatic and soil condition of Tripura is highly suitable for ginger cultivation, it can even sustain in any kind of soils of Tripura. The people of Tripura have the advantageous position in terms of awareness in cultivation and production techniques of ginger.

         Now the time is to explore how to tap the ginger market; ginger produce in the state should have the facility to feed in various usages in bulk by concerned processing agencies but these agencies are yet to exist in the state.
       The first and foremost thing, the state should do is to pursue for set of different value addition center and, a mechanism to ship in other state for sale. Until such time, the condition of ginger in the state would not flourish. 

         However, once the proper avenues are in place in state Tripura, there will not be much needed persuasion for attracting the farmers for ginger cultivation in the state.

   Agritangkol dated 04.01.2012 at 5.00 P.M