New Delhi, September 26 :Meghalaya made a commanding statement on the global food stage at World Food India (WFI) 2025, unveiling a flagship organic brand and forging strategic partnerships to boost its export potential.
Chirag Paswan, Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, hailed Meghalaya’s progress, crediting the leadership of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma. “I feel blessed and proud to witness Meghalaya’s journey of growth,” Paswan said, praising the state’s organic Lakadong turmeric and its expanding global reach. Paswan assured full support from the Government of India to accelerate Meghalaya’s food processing ambitions and empower farmers nationwide.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma encouraged self-help groups (SHGs) and farmers’ societies to actively engage with emerging market opportunities. “We can facilitate programmes, but unlocking potential will depend on your hard work, desire and motivation,” Sangma emphasized.
As a Focused State at India’s premier food processing event—organized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—Meghalaya’s pavilion drew global investors, agri-tech innovators and retail leaders.
The pavilion highlighted the state’s natural richness and agri-value chain innovations, positioning it as an investment-ready hub for sustainable food processing.
Meghalaya aims to certify 1,00,000 hectares under organic farming by 2028 with a government commitment of ₹250 crore. Current achievements include: 24,000 hectares certified organic, 40,400 farmers integrated into organic value chains, 240 Farmer Producer Organisations converted to organic operations.
Through its Community Public Private Partnership (CPPP) model, Meghalaya blends community ownership with government investment and private technology. Eight PRIME Hubs are already operational with ₹220+ crore investment, processing 6,000 kg and impacting 15,000 farmers. The state plans 40 hubs by 2027–28 and 55 hubs by 2031–32, processing up to 3,00,000 kg and creating over 11,000 jobs.
This is supported by 40 large processing units and over 540 micro-units, strengthening 700 cooperatives and 2,000 producer groups serving more than 2 lakh farming households.
A key highlight was the launch of Meghalaya Collectives Organic, a market-ready brand for high-value crops such as Lakadong turmeric, Sohiong fruit, Khasi mandarin, Kew pineapple. The brand aims to assure global buyers of certified organic quality and traceability, enhancing premium market access.Four MoUs Forge New Global Market Links
To expand its export footprint, Meghalaya signed four strategic Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with: Lulu Group Retail (GCC market access), The Staple Kaka (South India reach), Plantrich Agri Tech Pvt. Ltd. (South India organic supply),Treta Agro Pvt. Ltd. (Just Organic) (North India market linkages), These deals reinforce Meghalaya’s ambition to be a global food export hub.
Meghalaya’s export successes already include 20 MT GI-tagged Khasi Mandarin exports to the Gulf, 15 MT organic ginger shipment to the Middle East in March 2025, Premium consignments of pineapples and ginger to Dubai’s Lulu Hypermarket since 2022.
With its farmer-first approach, Meghalaya is integrating sustainable production, robust processing infrastructure, and international market linkages. This strategy not only empowers rural households but also strengthens India’s goal of becoming a global food hub.
