Meghalaya’s Organic Produce Capturing Global Marketplace

Organic farming has revolutionized Meghalaya’s agricultural landscape, prioritizing sustainability and ecological balance. Nestled in the northeastern hills of India, Meghalaya’s farmers have adopted organic practices. They also blend traditional knowledge with modern techniques to cultivate chemical-free crops. Moreover, this transformation preserves biodiversity, enhances soil fertility, and conserves water.

The state’s dedication to organic farming is evident in the increasing demand for its produce, free from synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. This movement also promotes healthier communities, bolsters local economies, and positions Meghalaya as a model for sustainable agriculture in India.

In an exclusive conversation with The Interview World at BIOFACH INDIA 2024, organized by APEDA, Dr. Vijay Kumar D, Commissioner and Secretary of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Government of Meghalaya, details the government’s strategies to promote and support organic farming in the state. He shares insights into marketing these products in both international and domestic markets and outlines the long-term goals. Here are the key takeaways from his interview.

Q: What specific initiatives and strategies is your government implementing to promote and support the organic farming in Meghalaya?

A: Our vision for organic agriculture in Meghalaya is highly ambitious. Fortunately, production practices in Meghalaya and significant parts of the North East are already naturally organic. Farmers also follow traditional practices without using fertilizers. Recognizing this, the state aims to certify these naturally organic areas to leverage higher market premiums.

I frequently ask those in the organic business about the premium because transitioning to organic involves initial productivity losses. These must be compensated by significant price premiums, especially for farmers in remote areas of Meghalaya.

The state has set a target to convert 100,000 hectares to organic in the next three years. We’ve also launched this initiative alongside the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for the North East Region (MOVCD-NER) through a state organic mission, with significant budget allocation and a robust network of cooperatives. This network will aid farmers in transitioning to organic farming. Within three years, we aim for 25% of the state’s cropped area to be organic.

Currently, 8% of our cultivable land is organic. Our goal is to increase this to 25%, connecting certified areas to the market.

The next challenge is ensuring that market premiums reach the farmers. We’ve restructured MOVCD program FPOs into cooperatives, believing this model better supports farmers. Today, we have a network of 500 cooperatives, 20% of which are thriving. Over the past four years, we’ve established offices, warehousing, and primary processing infrastructure for priority crops within these cooperatives. This network effectively aggregates produce and connects with farmers.

In the past, the Agriculture Department struggled to meet demands for large quantities of organic produce, such as turmeric. Today, with 20 turmeric cooperatives equipped with primary processing infrastructure, we can confidently meet these demands and support our farmers.

Q: What are the key products originating from Meghalaya, and what strategies do you employ to market them on the international stage?

A: Our produce includes some of the world’s finest spices, including turmeric, which boasts a curcumin content of 10%, significantly higher than the average of 2% to 3%. We are also one of the largest ginger producers in the country. Additionally, we offer a variety of spices, including pepper and bay leaf, along with a rich selection of local fruits and vegetables.

Currently, our ginger and turmeric harvesting season spans December and January. We have already initiated discussions with buyers. For instance, during our recent expo, a potential buyer expressed interest in shipping 5,000 metric tons of ginger to England. Consequently, we are collaborating with our 50 ginger cooperatives to determine the available quantity and logistics.

At this pivotal phase, we have also established the necessary building blocks and are seeking reliable market connections. Furthermore, we need partners who can commit to purchasing substantial quantities of turmeric and ginger. Our goal is to aggregate and efficiently move our produce.

Two years ago, we successfully shipped our first consignment of pineapples and oranges to the Middle East. These shipments, displayed in Lulu malls across the region, amounted to a few metric tons. This small yet significant achievement boosted the confidence of our farmers and the entire state. Seeing our produce in international markets was akin to winning a major football match.

This success demonstrated that, despite our geographical challenges, we can reach distant markets. We now have an ongoing MOU with Lulu Mall for this season, reinforcing our commitment to expanding our market presence.

Q: What strategies do you employ to effectively market your products within the domestic market?

A: This year, we are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Mother Dairy, successfully introducing our pineapples to Safal outlets. We shipped approximately 15 metric tons of pineapples through this engagement. We formalized this partnership by signing an MOU, underscoring our commitment to working with private sector partners.

To further enhance these collaborations, we issued an EOI inviting private sector players to join forces with our cooperatives. Our model involves establishing tripartite MOUs, connecting private sector entities with our cooperatives and including the marketing board to ensure a sustainable process over the next two to three years. This approach aims to create a reliable supply chain management system, which forms the core of our current ecosystem.

To achieve these goals, we require significant support in building and nurturing these partnerships.

Q: What are your long-term goals for enhancing the organic nature of your products?

A: Encouraging farmers to adopt organic practices involves certifying those already practicing organically and transitioning others to do the same. However, a critical issue missing in all states, which I frequently highlight, is the lack of working capital. Providing infrastructure alone is insufficient. Often, farmer groups fail to meet their objectives due to the unmet need for working capital. Many banks hesitate to offer working capital loans to farmers and their collectives. To address this, our state has established a corporation that lends to farmer collectives at highly subsidized interest rates.