Border crackdown boosts areca nut prices in Mizoram's Mamit as smuggling from Myanmar decreases

Areca nut farmers in Mizoram’s Mamit district are witnessing one of their most profitable years, with produce fetching significantly higher prices following a sharp decline in smuggling from Myanmar, an official said on Sunday, November 23.

Victor MS Dawngliana, General Secretary of the Hachhek Bial Kuhva Chingtu Pawl (HBKCP), an association representing growers in the Hachhek belt, said cultivators have earned nearly ₹50 crore this year—almost double the income compared to previous seasons.

According to him, areca nut prices have surged to Rs 2,500–3,000 per bag, compared to the earlier ₹1,200–1,500, when smuggled areca nuts from across the border flooded the market. The reduced inflow, attributed to tightened border security, has allowed local produce to command fair and competitive rates.

Around 30 of the 32 villages in the Hachhek region cultivate areca nuts, with the ongoing harvest season expected to continue till April 2026. Traders from neighbouring Assam and Tripura have been purchasing large volumes this year.

HBKCP has also announced an Areca Nut Festival to celebrate the successful harvest. Scheduled on December 8 at Rengdil village, the event will feature various cultural and sporting activities. Rengdil alone has recorded sales worth ₹10 crore, with about 380 families engaged in areca nut cultivation.

Areca nut farming is widespread across Mizoram, particularly in Mamit district bordering Bangladesh and Tripura, and in Kolasib district adjacent to Assam. Cultivation in the Hachhek area dates back to 1950, making it one of the state’s oldest plantation zones.

State officials said two processing units are currently being established in Mamit and Kolasib to support local growers and boost value-added production. Authorities further stated that enhanced security along the Indo-Myanmar border stretching 510 km and guarded by the Assam Rifles—has significantly reduced smuggling of areca nuts and narcotics