Agartala, April 03:Tripura Global Stevia Consortium (TGSC) has launched an ambitious project in Tripura to promote zero calorie herbal sweetener – Stevia cultivation in the state, said state Forest Minister Jitendra Chowdhury here today.
He said following scientific experiments on commercial cultivation
of Stevia, Tripura Forest Development and Plantation (TFDPC), one of
the profit-earning PSUs of the state, has tied up with US-based
American Infoway, Anna University and two other leading Indian
companies.
According to a laboratory testing report, the climate of Tripura is best suited for Stevia cultivation which has a high demand across the globe and we have the potential to begin commercial production of the export-quality Stevia,” Mr Chowdhury said.
He, however, maintained that the state government had started organising Stevia sensitisation programme with the local-self government and launched a motivation campaign among the forest dwellers who had been given patta (land-deed) under the Forest Rights Act and added, ”Rubber has become the major cash-crop and everyone has the tendency to grow rubber that leads to environmental degradation.”
TFDPC Managing Director Dr R L Srivastava underlined that Tripura forest research wings had developed a few plots for the Stevia cultivation.
Mr Majumder had also helped them in manual leaf processing and packaging facilities following demands of Stevia leaves in local markets, Dr Srivastava said, adding that farmers were hopeful of better income than other horticultural crops, as the market opportunity appears large and the demand gradually rising outside.
Each Stevia plant costs only about Rs five, which could be cultivated even in the backyard or the wasteland in and around the house.
While the fresh leaves are sold at Rs 100, the dry leaves are sold at the rate of Rs 400 a kg, Dr Srivastava said.
Due to sedentary lifestyles, the incidence of obesity and diabetic conditions are increasing dramatically and in India the number of diabetic people in the age group of 25-45 is about 15 per cent,” said Saumen Sarkar, Chief of American Infoway.
Internationally acclaimed diabetologist of the state Dr N Gonchoudhury said an all-natural Stevia extract is a dietary supplement, which is 350 times sweeter than sugar and is calorie-free.
The present lifestyle and automation is contributing to the higher rate of diabetes in Tripura but if one has ever tasted stevia, he knows it’s extremely sweet,” Dr Gonchoudhury attributed.
He, however, maintained that about 10 per cent of Tripura people aged above 40 is a patient of the silent killer and the trend is showing higher than many other parts of the country.
About 25 per cent people of the state will suffer from diabetes in 2030 if the present trend continues,” he added.
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