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Kharkutta banana farmers seek alternative to Darranggre market

By Biplab Kr Dey

TURA, Aug 7 - With most of the production of bananas coming from the North Garo Hills region, residents of Kharkutta have demanded for setting up of a banana market in Kharkutta itself.

The demand for the banana marketing hub comes in the wake of the hardships faced by the farmers of Kharkutta and other areas to take their produce to Daranggre market in Assam to sell.

On a rough estimate, more than 70 per cent of the bananas sold in Daranggre, one of the biggest in Asia, comes from Garo Hills, leading farmers from the region to seek a closer market. A similar attempt is being made in Bajengdoba in North Garo Hills, where another banana market is in the pipeline.

A delegation of farmers from Kharkutta earlier submitted a memorandum to the Chief Executive Member of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Denang T Sangma demanding establishment of a banana market in Kharkutta.

Kharkutta is about 5 kms from the banana market of Daranggre in Goalpara district of Assam which would mean that the village could actually compete for the honour of being the most important banana market in the region.

The farmers association have also sought a control over middlemen who according to them make the biggest profit in the entire exercise.

Much of the sought after organic fruits that come from Garo Hills, are mostly in the hands of middlemen who use their influence to ensure market prices are driven by them, leading to huge losses to the farmers.

The farmers of Kharkutta also expressed their keenness to join the growers association established by GHADC to encourage farmers and cultivators to boost farming activities and market their produce.

�We are confident our market will be a success because more than 70 per cent of the bananas sold at Darranggre market come from Kharkutta areas,� said a representative of Kharkutta farmers to the GHADC leaders.

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