Resting against the back of the door, the broom you bought from a hawker may have come all the way from Karbi Anglong district in Assam. Broom grass () has emerged as the most widely cultivated cash crop in the hills of the the State. Commonly known as , it is grown in the Jhum fallow season by people of the Tiwa, Karbi and Khasi communities as a mixed crop for its inflorescence used for making brooms. It also provides fuel and fodder during the lean period. Thysanolaena maxima Jharu
Karbi Anglong is the largest producer of brooms in India. Cultivation of broom grass is comparatively easy and requires only small financial inputs. It can be grown on marginal lands, wasteland and in Jhum fallow land. It grows well on a wide range of soils from sandy loam to clay loam. The planting can be done by seeds or rhizomes. The harvesting starts from February and continues till March-end. About 90% of the produce is sold during March and April. The rest is used by the farmers themselves.
Broom grass cultivation has the potential to generate local employment and can be used to enhance rural income. It constitutes a major source of income for Assamese families in the business. This year, the villagers sold dried broom grass for ₹90 a kg on an average. Traders from nearby Meghalaya come to the villages after the harvest season. From Meghalaya, the brooms are distributed across the country.
