Mizoram govt to allocate Rs 150 cr for procurement of ginger, 4 other crops: Minister

Aizawl, Feb 25 (PTI) Mizoram Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister PC Vanlalruata told the assembly on Wednesday that a 150 crore-provision will be made in the 2026-27 budget for the procurement of five key crops under a flagship scheme.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma, who also holds the finance portfolio, will on Thursday present the state's budget for the 2026-27 financial year.

Vanlalruata said that the government has decided to continue to procure locally produced crops - ginger, chilli, dry broomsticks, turmeric and paddy - during the next financial year.

He announced that the government has started the process of procuring ginger and other key crops from February 2.

"Our goal is to assist farmers in selling their crops at reasonable prices. We wish that they find buyers to sell their gingers at a price of more than Rs 50 per kg," Vanlalruata said.

If farmers sell below Rs 50 per kg, the government will provide the remaining amount as support price so that it comes to Rs 50 per kg.

Last week, Vanlalruata had informed the assembly that the state government incurred a Rs 128.38 crore loss in ginger procurement during the 2024-25 fiscal.

An amount of Rs 141.16 crore was released to ginger growers as support price, while only Rs 12.78 crore has been recovered or realised from ginger sales in 2024-25, the minister had said.

Fulfilling its pre-poll promises, the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government, headed by Lalduhoma, has been purchasing five key crops- ginger, turmeric, broomsticks, chilli and paddy - locally grown by farmers, through a support price system. PTI CORR BDC