Nagaland sends .5 tonne of Zanthoxylum to Dabur

Kohima, Dec 6 (PTI) Nagaland on Saturday flagged off the first consignment of Zanthoxylum, locally known as Michinga, seeds from Kohima to Dabur India Limited's North East Unit in Tezpur, Assam.

Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen ceremonially flagged it off at the SIRD Office Complex, marking a major step in commercialising the state’s medicinal and aromatic plants through a partnership between the Nagaland Bio-Resource Mission (NBRM) and Dabur India Ltd.

In his address, Imchen described the initiative as "a programme with substance", highlighting that it translates the state's long-discussed potential into concrete action.

He said Nagaland has long been home to a vast range of medicinal plants and herbs, and that the Nagaland Bio-Resource Mission, set up nearly a decade ago, had catalogued these valuable species.

He commended the NBRM team, led by Dr Kualalei, for entering into a buy-back agreement with Dabur to commercialise Zanthoxylum.

He said Zanthoxylum was chosen because it was already partially commercialised and grown widely across the state. However, he noted that while Dabur required at least 10 tonne, Nagaland could supply only 1.5 tonne this year.

"There is a lesson in this, we need volume," Imchen said, stressing that inadequate production remains one of the biggest bottlenecks in Nagaland’s agriculture sector.

Encouraging farmers and entrepreneurs to adopt scientific cultivation and scale up production, he said, "If we are to truly commercialise and reap benefits from our agricultural products, we need volumes. Produce enough, and buyers will come." He also urged farmers to maintain quality and honour commitments, noting that both sellers and buyers must adhere to agreed prices to build long-term market trust.

Imchen expressed hope that the partnership with Dabur would expand to include other medicinal and aromatic plants, benefiting farmers and entrepreneurs across Nagaland.

Speaking at the program, Head of Central Procurement and Planning Division, Dabur India Ltd, New Delhi, Narayanan Ranganathan said Dabur sees major potential in Nagaland, not only in medicinal herbs but also in spices and fruits.

Ranganathan acknowledged the vital role of medicinal herb farmers in Dabur’s history and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting Nagaland’s growers. PTI NBS NBS RG