With the aim of giving new momentum to organic agriculture-based production, the Northeast’s largest organic spice processing centre was inaugurated in Meghalaya. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated this state-of-the-art project on Friday in Ri-Bhoi district.
The inaugural ceremony was held in the presence of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang. Addressing farmers, tribal leaders and local residents, Nirmala Sitharaman said that the growing global demand for organic and quality agricultural products has opened new doors of opportunity for Meghalaya.
The Union Minister also remarked that the future of agriculture lies not in higher production alone, but in producing better quality, safe, environment-friendly and easily traceable products. She also lauded the sustainable farming practices that Meghalaya’s farmers have been carrying forward for a long time.
Built at a cost of about ₹32 crore, this organic processing centre will process more than 10,000 metric tonnes of high-value organic spices annually. Modern facilities for storage, washing, drying and grinding have been set up at the centre for processing crops such as ginger, turmeric, chilli and black pepper.
Established as the first organically certified spice processing centre in the Northeast, the project has also received certification under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and the European Union’s organic standards.
