Shillong, Jun 19: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Meghalaya’s deep-rooted culture of community stewardship and sustainable farming practices positions the State to emerge as a leader in premium organic agriculture.
She was speaking at the inauguration of the spice processing plant at Bhoirymbong in Ri-Bhoi District today. The plant is the largest of its kind in the North East.
Referring to Khasi philosophy that emphasises the consequences of human actions, Sitharaman said that this philosophy is particularly relevant to agriculture, where decisions regarding soil, water and farming practices determine long-term resilience and productivity.
“The people of Meghalaya had embraced the principles of sustainability long before it became a global agenda,” Sitharaman said.
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Highlighting Meghalaya’s famous Lakadong turmeric which received GI status in 2024 and which contains higher curcumin levels, Sitharaman also pointed out to the growing reputation of Meghalaya’s ginger varieties for their low fibre content, superior quality and strong market potential.
“The focus should no longer be limited to exporting raw produce but rather on exporting finished products, trusted brands and world-class quality while retaining value, jobs and livelihood within the region,” she said, adding that processing, branding, packaging, certification and market access are critical tools.
Praising the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company for setting up of the spice processing plant, Sitharaman said this is an example of how targeted investments, community participation and sustained support can create durable and inclusive development outcomes.
The spice processing plant which is organically certified is designed to process more than 10,000 metric tons of high-value organic spices annually.
Equipped with modern infrastructure including cold storage, dry storage, washing, drying and pulverising facilities, the plant will process crops such as ginger, turmeric, black pepper and chilli.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma termed the spice processing plant at Bhoirymbong as a game changer for local farmers. He also informed that eleven processing units are currently operational across Meghalaya benefitting 55,000 farmers and their families.
Stating that Meghalaya has been steadily building the infrastructure needed to connect farmers to larger markets, Sangma the State government is providing financial support, technical expertise, training and market connectivity to farmers.
It may be noted that Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company which runs the spice processing plant comprised of 500 organic farmers from nine villages of the Umroi-Bhoirymbong area.
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