Shillong: The Department of Soil and Water Conservation launched Meghalaya Mandi, a digital platform connecting farmers, buyers, and transporters across 12 districts. The tool streamlines the sale of 13 major cash crops. It cuts out the middleman.
The system follows a five-month pilot in North Garo Hills. That trial moved 330 metric tons of ginger, bananas, pineapple, and turmeric. Roughly 800 farmers participated in the test run. The pilot generated 1.5 crore rupees in business and netted an extra 78 lakh rupees for growers. The government spent zero rupees on the development.
Dr. Joram Beda, the Commissioner and Secretary of the department, coded the application personally. This internal approach addressed specific field-level hurdles. Soil and Water Conservation Minister Marcuise N. Marak officially opened the portal. "The technology aims to bridge the gap between rural growers and buyers while reducing the role of intermediaries," Marak said.
He encouraged farmers to sell high-value goods like Lakadong turmeric and oranges through the site. The launch coincided with the shipment of 13 metric tons of bananas to the Himalayan Food Company in Jamshedpur. Farmers received a set price of 120 rupees per bunch. This fixed rate protects growers from local price swings. The project supports Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma’s target of a 10-billion-dollar economy by 2028.
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