Shillong, July 9 : In a significant step towards establishing Meghalaya as a national leader in organic agriculture, a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed today between Mother India Farms, a Bengaluru-based organic Agri-enterprise, and Tomonpo Anglong Organic Farmers Producer Company Ltd., a farmer collective from the Ri-Bhoi district. The Meghalaya Natural and Organic Society for Livelihood and Innovation in Agriculture (MEGNOLIA) facilitated this key agreement.
The MoA aims to integrate Meghalaya’s certified organic produce, beginning with the state’s premium Kew variety pineapples, into national and global supply chains. Approximately 300 registered farmers across six villages in Ri-Bhoi currently cultivate this pineapple variety under Tomonpo Anglong Organic FPC.
Dr. Vijay Kumar D, IAS, Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of Meghalaya, expressed the government’s commitment to supporting this initiative, stating, “Our aim is to enhance the income of farmers”. He highlighted the presence of Farmer Producer Groups (FPOs) and processing units in the state during his interaction with the Mother India Farms team. Dr. Kumar also voiced optimism that the technical expertise and establishment of plants would benefit farmer-producer groups involved in various agricultural produce like pineapples and turmeric. He further mentioned the government’s interest in advanced certification processes to bring Meghalaya’s produce to the global market.
R. Durairaj, CEO of Mother India Farms, affirmed confidence in Meghalaya’s potential, stating, “We are confident in Meghalaya, we can do better. FoodChain ID is also guiding us”. He emphasized the importance of obtaining necessary certifications for international market access, identifying the MoA as a crucial step.
Under the terms of the MoA, Mother India Farms will fully finance and implement the Internal Control System (ICS), encompassing training, internal inspections, data management, and organic certification facilitation, at no cost to the farmers. The company will also manage the procurement and marketing of certified produce and provide organic price premiums based on market conditions and quality standards.
Established in 2017 under the MOVCD-NER scheme with support from the Directorate of Horticulture, Tomonpo has expanded to manage over 500 hectares of certified organic farmland, producing 600-800 metric tonnes of pineapples annually. The collective has a six-year reputation for quality and consistency, supplying institutional buyers such as Mother Dairy and Reliance Fresh. In addition to pineapples, Tomonpo farmers also cultivate certified organic ginger, black sticky rice, Khasi Mandarin, banana, and guava.
This collaboration is viewed as a significant stride towards building a farmer-centric, market-ready ecosystem, aligning with Meghalaya’s broader vision of transforming into an organic hub through farmer institution empowerment and securing long-term livelihoods. As the state prepares for the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival 2025, the MoA demonstrates the readiness of farmer groups to expand their presence in premium, export-oriented organic markets. The Government of Meghalaya continues to foster sustainable rural development through such institutional partnerships, strengthening the Agri-economy and reinforcing the state’s position as a reliable source of clean, traceable, organic produce.
