Bishnu Rana 

Tezu, Feb 3: The border district of Anjaw which once earned the disrepute as an ‘Opium Valley’ is showing signs of transformation by gradually turning into an orange bowl.
The changes could be noticed since December last year. Oranges laden in mini trucks are selling like hotcakes in Tezu township which is ample proof. 
Cultivating citrus fruits has its own challenges but locals are also aware of the menace of opium cultivation.
'Villagers are seriously concerned about the menace of opium and its cultivation and they don't encourage the illegal practice,' says Hemanso Billai, a young farmer.
Youths are putting their efforts in growing fruits particularly citrus and kiwi which are being widely grown now in the entire district, he adds. Billai, who also sells oranges from a truck, said despite good production of oranges especially in the peripheral areas of Goiliang Circle where he belongs, due to lack of marketing outlets locally, it compels him to come to Tezu to sell the produce which also entails extra transportation cost. 
Maintenance of citrus orchards is expensive and labour intensive but since we don’t get adequate labour we have to do the plucking ourselves, he rues.  The Farming scenario in the district is slowly changing and farmers are hardworking, simple and honest. Hayuliang Circle ranks top in orange cultivation and right from Tezu to Dirak Check Gate in Namsai, Anjaw oranges are much sought after.
'Anjaw has tremendous potential in horticulture and even with little inputs giving satisfactory returns, the district could well be an orange bowl of Arunachal,' a confident district horticulture office, C Lowang Sumnyan said. 
Anjaw orange is sweet and small in size compared to the large-sized Khasi Mandarin counterpart grown mostly in other foothill districts of the state. In all the four CD blocks namely Hayuliang, Manchal, Hawai and Walong, the citrus has the maximum coverage spreading over 100 sq km and the sight of oranges being sold in locally made baskets on road sides is ushering in hope that the district has at last found an answer to opium, HDO T Hai added.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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