Helvellyn Timungpi
Karbi Anglong
Broom cultivation is a major source of income for the people Karbi Anglong and west Karbi Anglong. While the cash crop is cultivated on a large scale in West Karbi Anglong, only some sections of people indulge themselves in broom grass cultivation. In West Karbi Anglong, more than half of the population living in the hilly areas engaged in broom cultivation. According to the farmers, the crop is easy to grow and fetch a good income. The crop is usually harvested in the month of January and February. Once harvested, it is dried in the sun. However some farmers prefer to air dry the crop, often drying it under the roof or shed to avoid the change in colour of the broom. The farmers also mentioned that even though broom grass cultivation is profitable, the income earned from the crop is not stable. The farmers stated that sometimes they earn good income, however, at times there used to be a sharp decline of broom price in the market.
“When the market price is good, we feel happy. We are able to pay the school fees of our children, buy ourselves some clothes, home accessories etc. However, when the price of broom drops, we the farmers are the ones who suffer the most because a person like me is dependent on the price of broom for my livelihood. The broom is my investment for my children's school fees, their clothes and even the food for our table,” said Kamsing Tisso, a broom farmer who has three school going children.
Another farmer by the name of Rongbang Timung of Tharvelangso said that he shifted from broom cultivation to pineapple cultivation as the price of broom is not stable in the market and heavy tax is imposed on the product, due to which, he like some of the farmers felt that they are being exploited.
“Broom is treated as a forest product. Therefore, tax is imposed on the product by the department of Forestry. I felt that I am being exploited as the department is getting a good amount of money from me and taking a share of the fruit of my sweat. Therefore, I have shifted to pineapple cultivation where I don't have to pay anyone,” he stated. Meanwhile, another farmer by the name of Kare Phangchopi, one of the farmers who own the largest broom garden in Diphu area, the district’s headquarter stated that the continued deflation of broom rate for the last two consecutive years stated that her family is facing dire financial crisis and is finding a very hard time to meet the daily expenses of her family. “We are a family living from hands to mouth. I feed my family by selling vegetables in Diphu daily market. My husband is a full time farmer and he is working full time taking care of the broom garden and other organic vegetables that we plant for consumption. My children’s fees, our clothes, food and our other daily needs are dependent on the price of broom. When the price of broom is high, we are able to pay our debts, pay our children’s fees and could buy some household materials,” she stated. She also stated that in the last two years, her family had to borrow money to pay daily wagers as they could not pluck the broom all by themselves. “The broom is best when it is plucked in the months of January and February and early part of March. In such a short span of time, it is impossible for us to pluck it all by ourselves. Therefore, we are compelled to hire some people to help us. Since the price of brooms is very low in the last two years, we’ve got very little money to spare and had to borrow from money lenders,” Kare stated.
Talking about the profit she earned from broom cultivation, Kare said that in 2022, she and her family managed to earn a profit of a whopping 1.3 lakh rupees from selling their produce. “In 2022, the price of the brooms went up to fifty rupees per kilogram. I was so happy. I bought some household materials and also bought a cow. Now it gives us milk and she has given birth to a lovely calf. We managed to save the remaining money. I really hope the rate of broom increases. The task of broom cultivation is not at all easy and plucking them is harder as the edges of the leaves are very sharp,” she continued.
Another broom farmer named Ojit Phangcho stated that broom is one of the main cash crops cultivated by many farmers in their area in Umswai, west Karbi Anglong district of Assam. “Broom plants are not at all choosy and can be planted on any type of soil. However, the cultivation process is quite tough and requires hard labour. Pruning and clearing bushes around the broom plant is a very difficult task. The plucking of the broomstick is more tough as it requires manual labour. The reward of our hard work is the rate of the broom itself,” Phangcho stated.
Phangcho further stated that the farmers would be greatly benefitted if the “government leaves them alone by excluding broom as a forest product.”
