Barak Betel Nut Trade Crisis: Alleged Syndicate Demands Rs 1 Lakh Per Truck, Rs 50,000 for Smaller Vehicles

Betel nut growers and traders in Katigorah allege that a syndicate is controlling the movement of locally grown betel nuts outside Barak Valley, forcing traders to pay hefty sums to transport their goods.

Local betel nut growers and traders in the Katigorah area of Cachar are facing mounting losses as Meghalaya-bound trucks carrying locally grown betel nuts are allegedly being stopped on National Highway 6. Traders claim that police are turning back vehicles at Digrakhal, preventing them from transporting their produce to Meghalaya, the primary market for betel nuts from the Kalain-Katigorah region. They have warned of protests in Kalain if the situation is not resolved.

According to local traders, an alleged syndicate has been controlling the transportation of locally grown betel nuts outside Barak Valley for the past few years. They claim that traders cannot transport their produce to markets outside the valley without the syndicate’s approval and that payments are demanded for allowing vehicles to pass through certain routes.

The issue has particularly affected betel nut traders in the Katigorah Assembly constituency. Traders purchase betel nuts from rural markets across the region and transport them to Meghalaya for sale. Since Meghalaya is the main market for locally grown betel nuts from Kalain and Katigorah, restrictions on transportation have reportedly disrupted the trade and pushed down local market prices.

On Wednesday, a section of betel nut traders in Kalain raised the issue, alleging that vehicles carrying locally grown betel nuts are not being allowed to travel to Meghalaya through NH-6. They further alleged that drivers are sometimes subjected to harassment when their vehicles are turned back at Digrakhal. According to the traders, they are instead being directed to take the Silchar-Haflong road.

Traders claim that the Silchar-Haflong route has become the only available option for transporting betel nuts outside Barak Valley. However, transportation through this route significantly increases costs, making the business less profitable.

Sources familiar with the alleged arrangement claim that traders transporting betel nuts through the Silchar-Haflong route are required to pay Rs 1 lakh for a six-wheeler truck and Rs 50,000 for smaller vehicles to the alleged syndicate. These are reportedly fixed rates, and permission to cross the toll gate is granted only after payment. These allegations could not be independently verified.

The restrictions and increased transportation costs have reportedly had a direct impact on growers. Betel nut cultivation remains an important source of income for rural households across Barak Valley, where many families depend on the sale of their produce to meet household expenses and fulfil financial commitments.

The current period is considered peak season for betel nut trading, with growers bringing their produce to rural markets for sale. However, farmers reportedly say that prices are lower than last year, leaving them struggling to get fair returns for their produce.

Sources further claim that more than a hundred betel nut-laden trucks from the three districts of Barak Valley leave the region every day through the alleged syndicate arrangement, generating substantial revenue for those involved.

The situation has also raised questions about how such an alleged syndicate continues to operate despite the government’s stated strict position against such practices. Traders and growers are demanding an end to the restrictions on smaller trucks carrying locally grown betel nuts through NH-6.

They have warned of launching an agitation in Kalain if the alleged obstruction of Meghalaya-bound vehicles continues.