The Mizoram government has procured more than 2 lakh quintals of ginger from farmers this year under its flagship Bana Kaih, or Handholding, scheme, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister PC Vanlalruata informed the state Assembly on Monday.
Replying in writing to a question during the ongoing monsoon session, the minister said that 2,00,481.55 quintals of ginger had been procured from farmers across the state as of August 18.
The government has released ₹51.13 crore towards support prices for the ginger procured during the current year. With this, the total amount released for ginger procurement under the scheme during 2025 and 2026 has reached ₹192.63 crore.
Of the total amount, ₹141.50 crore was released for ginger procurement in 2025, while ₹51.13 crore has been released for purchases made this year.
Vanlalruata said there were no pending support-price payments from the government for eligible ginger cultivators.
According to the minister, the entire amount approved for the current season has been released and deposited into the account of the Mizoram government’s designated procurement agency, DAMC. Payments are being transferred from the account to the bank accounts of the farmers concerned.
The procurement programme is part of the Zoram People’s Movement-led government’s promise to purchase five major crops from farmers at assured support prices.
Under the Bana Kaih scheme, the government has identified ginger, turmeric, chilli, broomsticks and paddy for procurement.
Launched in September 2024, the scheme aims to provide farmers with assured prices for their agricultural produce, improve their income security and support the growth of Mizoram’s agricultural economy.
Ginger is one of the state’s major agricultural products and holds particular importance in Mizoram’s farming sector. The state was recognised by NITI Aayog as the “Ginger Capital of India” in 2025.
For the 2026-27 financial year, the Mizoram government has allocated ₹350 crore for the Bana Kaih scheme. Of this amount, ₹150 crore has been earmarked specifically for the procurement of the five identified crops.
The government said the continued procurement of ginger under the scheme is intended to provide farmers with a more assured market for their produce and reduce uncertainty over prices during the harvest season.
