Anit Thapa, the chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), has appealed to the Mamata Banerjee government to revive cinchona and orange cultivation, which was once considered the major source of earning in a number of rural areas across the hills after tea.

“Orange and cinchona, both are now in dying stages. It is only the state government that can work for its revival. Though the departments were transferred under the GTA, we have very limited power and resources. We are ready to extend all support from the GTA and believe the revival of cultivation of these two products can considerably help in improving the economic conditions in hilly hamlets,” said Thapa, who had joined the two-day orange fest hosted in Mungpoo, which grows both oranges and cinchona (a medicinal plant used to make quinine and some other drugs).

The fest, organised by the state government in association with the cinchona directorate and the GTA, concluded on Saturday.

Thapa said that earlier there were families whose principal source of earning was oranges, which they used to cultivate in Mungpoo, Latpanchar and some other areas.

“However, due to a number of reasons, production has come down and these families have to explore other options to make a living. It is high time that the state takes up the task to encourage this sector through help and intervention. It should also work for cinchona, yet another agricultural product in rural areas of the hills. Hundreds of workers are associated with cinchona,” Thapa said.

Subrata Saha, the minister for horticulture, said that the government was taking initiatives to set up fruit-processing units.