Help Stop Areca Nut Smuggling From Myanmar: Mizoram MLA Writes To PM

A Congress MLA has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for help in stopping areca nut smuggling from Myanmar, which has affected farmers in Mizoram.

Congress MLA Lalrindika Ralte said areca nut smuggling from the neighbouring country has flooded the state with the crop, hurting the sales of local growers in Mizoram.

Mr Ralte said although the Home Ministry has told the Mizoram and Manipur governments to curb the widespread illegal import of areca nuts from Myanmar through the porous borders, the Mizoram government has not done much to fight this menace.

"...The way Mizoram government has been reacting to this unhealthy situation has been pathetic and short of expectation from a state government," the Congress MLA said in the letter.

"The problem is being faced by local areca nut growers, and the Assam law enforcement agencies have not been able to distinguish Myanmar areca nuts from those grown in Mizoram," he said.

While Assam has been doing its best to prevent the entry of illegal areca nuts, the law enforcement agencies have not been able to differentiate between illegally imported variety and the local ones in Mizoram, he said, adding this has often resulted in the authorities seizing locally grown areca nuts.