Aizawl: Mizoram has launched its first-ever ‘Pluck and Pay Festival’, inviting visitors to go beyond conventional sightseeing and experience the state’s agricultural landscape by visiting farms, picking fresh produce and buying directly from local growers.
The three-day festival, being held from September 23 to 25 at Chawngtlai and Tualte in Khawzawl district, is a joint initiative of the Tourism Department and the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Khawzawl. Tourism Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar inaugurated the festival at Vanhnuailiana Hall, Tualte, on Wednesday.
The festival puts the spotlight on an emerging link between tourism and agriculture in the district, with visitors being taken to working farms growing tomatoes, passion fruit, kiwi, bananas and beans. The idea is to turn the farms themselves into visitor attractions while creating an additional platform for local farmers and artisans.
At Chawngtlai, three kiwi orchards, five passion fruit orchards and five tomato farms have been opened to visitors. Tualte has identified two passion fruit orchards, five banana plantations, five tomato farms and two bean farms for the festival. The initiative comes against the backdrop of a significant expansion in commercial horticulture in both villages.
In Tualte, tomato cultivation began receiving organised support from the Horticulture Department around 2019. More than 200 households have since taken up tomato cultivation as a livelihood, producing more than one lakh quintals of tomatoes and generating income of over Rs 1,400 lakh, according to the department.
Passion fruit cultivation is also expanding in the village, with 151 households selected for cultivation under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) during 2025-26.
Chawngtlai, meanwhile, has developed into one of Mizoram’s important tomato-producing areas. More than 120 households are currently engaged in tomato cultivation, with over 8,000 quintals sold so far, generating more than Rs 400 lakh in income. Passion fruit cultivation, which began in the village with around 10 households in the mid-1990s, has also seen a revival and a steady increase in growers.
For visitors, the festival combines this agricultural experience with local food, handicrafts, adventure activities and cultural attractions. The District Agriculture and Horticulture offices are showcasing farm produce and departmental initiatives, while a Block Mela is being organised by the Block Mission Management Unit, Mizoram State Rural Livelihoods Mission, Khawzawl RD Block and NABARD.
The festival also features stalls showcasing agricultural products and locally made handicrafts. Visitors can take part in ziplining organised by the Zawlkhaw Adventure Club, explore historical and tourist sites such as Pathian Tlang, Nikuala Lungdawh, Zo Hill Station and Pasaltha memorial sites, and attend traditional Mizo sports, recreational activities and an evening concert featuring Mizo artistes.
At the inauguration, Hmar said Mizoram’s forests, clean environment, natural resources and agricultural wealth could become important attractions for visitors. He also highlighted the festival’s decision to avoid single-use plastic and said efforts would be made to encourage more green festivals in the state.
The minister also urged residents of Mizoram to explore and appreciate the state’s own natural and cultural attractions, saying local people could become ambassadors for the state by experiencing and promoting them.
The festival is being positioned as more than a tourism event. By opening farms to visitors and connecting agricultural produce with direct consumer experiences, Mizoram is seeking to give its rural economy a visible place in its tourism offering while showcasing the work of farmers in Khawzawl district.
BI Bureau
