Assam trouble has put cross country orange trade into trouble

SILIGURI/ PHUENTSHOLLING: Recent violence and subsequent sociopolitical turmoil along foothills in Bhutan adjoining western Assam as well as Northern West Bengal have put orange trade of the Himalayan Country with Bangladesh into trouble. Not only Bhutanese traders but huge numbers of Indian stakeholders have also become victims of the situation.

According to Bhutan Agricultural Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA), annually, Bhutan exports around 20Thousand Metric ton of Orange to Bangladesh and near 2 Thousand MT to India. The 2007-08 season recorded a height in pricing at the rate of USD 18 per box (28 Kg) for Meel(Large) variety against average price of USD 8 to 10 per box. Price realization of 08-09 also remained above long time average. But, “The trend took a downward turn in subsequent years,” said BAFRA officials. “The recent crisis has put the whole situation into even more difficult situation,” said the traders.

Landlocked Bhutan gets its trade passage to Bangladesh through Indian states of Assam or Northern West Bengal only. But, “Recent massacre in Kokrajhar in lower Assam started unpredicted bandhs and causing after effect in adjoining North Bengal. The security has also been beefed up manifold.

“Orange being highly perishable does not allow long time to pass these unpredictable bandhs or all the security measures. Single rotten piece sometime causes rejection of entire box by the buyers,” said Mr. Tsering Drukpa, an orchard buyer. Most of the exporters and orchard buyers have already paid the orchard owners in advance even before harvesting.

A huge makeshift orange market with over two hundred exporters and wholesale traders gets set for around two months on Torsha River bed in Phuentsholling every year. Another similar market gets set on Raidak River bed in Indian side.

To negotiate the present situation, these markets have become highly dependent on Indian towns like Raidak, Alipurduar or Siliguri. But, “Usual Indian price is much lower than Bangladesh. Now heavy inflow in this market has further brought it down to a very uncomfortable level,” said Mr. Drukpa. Understandably, over 5000 Indian traders, directly involved into these markets and huge number of Indian clearing and handling workers have become victims of the situation.

However, retail fruit markets in Alipurduar or Siliguri are not showing any reflection of this wholesale level lowering of price.