Seizure of fertilizer may affect Chin farmers

Khonumthung News: 16 August, 2006

The seizure of fertilizer on the Indo-Burma border may seriously affect Chin farmers.

According to reports the Customs department in Tio village, Mizoram, India, seized huge stocks of fertilizer recently. The seizure may affect Chin farmers as August is peak time for use of fertilizers to boost production.

The order to seize fertilizers on the border has been reportedly issued to the state custom department by the Central Government of India. There haves been reports of excessive imports of fertilizer to Mizoram state, causing prices to rise and supplies to decline to other states of North East India.

 No quota for the supply of fertilizer has been allotted to Mizoram, as the state adopted an organic farming policy. Meanwhile, Mizoram is on record as one of the highest buyers of fertilizer in North East India.

 The Customs department of Mizoram permits the transportation of three full load trucks (50 kilograms per bag and a truck can transport 350 bags) across the Indo-Burma border a day. Price rise was predictable with the decrease in supply and the increase in demand of fertilizer, sources added.

 Dealers in fertilizer can reclaim the seized fertilizer with a payment of Rupees 46 per bag from Mizoram’s Custom department. Mizoram Custom and Taxation Department is dealing in fertilizer since 2004.

 The decrease in fertilizer supply from India will affect the yield of crops which may cause famine in the coming year. Meanwhile, the Burmese government hardly attends to the needs of Chin farmers to increase production.