Working on Meghalaya’s Wonder Grass

A ramie crop field in Bolsalgre, Selsella, West Garo Hills, shows how multi-cropping is possible in this region when Ramie is grown.

The Ramie crop is grown under the shade of other trees like betel and jackfruit, together in the same farm.

The surrounding farmers also grow millet, melon, vegetables, tapioca and rice. The produce in the entire region is completely organically grown.

The Boehmeria nivea crop, Common name - Ramie, is also known by its local name Kilbra in the Garo dialect.

The crop can be harvested six times a year with irrigation and four times without. The main monsoon covers the Garo Hills from June to August, but it continues to rain until October.

A farmer collects the crop in a field in Malchapara, Betasing, South-west Garo Hills.

Gami Ch Marak cuts the crop in Selsella, West Garo HIlls at a field she works on along with her husband Ranjeng S Sangma and son Pilseng Ch Marak. The son takes on the mother’s name as the society here is matrilineal.

The crop is harvested and the leaves are separated from the stalk at the farm, before the stalks are sent to the fibre extraction unit.

While the stalk of the Ramie crop goes on to the machine unit to be converted into fiber, the leaves are sold separately for consumption to make curries or pakoras, a flour-dipped and fried savoury snack.

The machine here is bought from China, which has a large production of fibre from the crop.

Seen here is Susannah K Sangma, Joint Director of Agriculture, discussing the nuances of passing the crop through the machine with operator Lulas Ch Marak.

The first fibre procured by passing the Ramie crop through the decorticating machine.

The wastage from the decorticating process is used for composting and fodder as it has a 16% protein content and helps give better milk.

It is also used for human consumption and medicinal purposes.

The extracted fibre from the decorticating machine is collected into a bamboo basket and taken to the washing area for washing with water.

A farmer collects the extracted fibre from the decorticating machine into a bamboo basket and takes it to the washing area.

The extracted Ramie crop is washed in water in an area designated for the activity and collected in bamboo baskets to be taken to the drying area.

The fibre is thoroughly washed in water and laid out to dry in the sun.

The fibres that are tangled during the washing process need to be separated before being laid out, or else they would not dry properly.

A check is kept on the fibre to avoid further untangling after laying it out and any kinks found are sorted.

The dried Ramie fibre is sent as raw material to the fabric weaving factory for further processing before it is ready to be woven.

Ramie fibre which comes from the decorticating unit to the fabric making factory is soaked in soda ash for 48 hours before degumming with soda ash and soap for 5 hours at 100°C.

It is then mixed in water and hydrogen peroxide, which gives it a whitish colour.

The fibres are passed through the dressing and spreader machines to procure long (60-100 count nm) and short fibres (20-30 count nm coarse fibre) which are then ready for weaving into fabric.

The final fibre is ready to go the loom for the weaving process. Garments made from Ramie fibre have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal properties.

Ramie is particularly suited to be converted into textile as it is a naturally sterile fibre and a sister fibre of linen and flax.

The journey of raw Ramie fibre to fabric, ready to be turned into a fine fashion garments, can be seen here.

Read more about Ramie grass here:
-Mobilizing the Ramie grass community in Meghalaya 
-The versatility of Ramie grass in Meghalaya 
-Fashion collaborates with Meghalaya’s Ramie grass