the mizo's had long been open to the outside world before the advent of the british in the 1870's. in former times the mizo's used to collected rubber and barter that with salt. during the lushai expedition of 1871, a rupee would have given a fowl. the initial traders after british invasion of 1872 were bengali traders in bepari bazar near sairang. in 1922 there were only 91 shops in all of mizoram. there were only 2 shops in lunglei in 1914. the colonial state encouraged people to stop barter and encouraged monetary exchange so that it would be easier to collect household tax. the cash economy encouraged the mizo's to explore new trade routes in kachin. the practisce of shifting cultivation or jhumming started in mizoram after they learned that their crops could earn them money, earlier agriculture was practiced purely for sustenance. wet rice cultivation was started only in 1809 at champhai by the british colonial rulers to boost agriculture so that they could supply rice to their soldiers without having to import them. chief khamliana was among the first to plan oranges, pineapples, rubber, jackfruit and guava in mizoram.