Ribhoi, July 7 : Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma visited Byrwa village in Ri-Bhoi district to interact with farmers engaged in aromatic plant cultivation under the flagship Aroma Mission initiative.
The CM commended the farmers for their achievements in transforming aromatic plants into valuable products, including essential oils and natural repellents. He assured the farmers that the government would extend all possible assistance to upscale their enterprise.
Bestarly Marwein, who runs the start-up Fountain Green JLG at Byrwa, is actively promoting medicinal and aromatic essential oils in the state. The enterprise, in collaboration with women entrepreneurs, operates three essential oil distillation units to propagate various plants such as Citronella, Lemon Grass, Turmeric, Vetiver, Winter Green, Geranium et al.
In addition to selling oils, Fountain Green JLG produces natural oil soaps, mosquito repellents, mosquito repellent creams, mosquito repellent floor mops, and agarbatti. The startup has received support from PRIME, which provided mentoring, capacity building, funding, and product development assistance.
The Meghalaya Aroma Mission, launched in 2019 as a flagship initiative by the CM, aims to harness the economic and environmental benefits of aromatic plant cultivation. Through this mission, the government is dedicated to supporting local farmers and entrepreneurs in the cultivation, processing, and value addition of aromatic plants.
