Photo Courtesy: ukhrultimes
Shillong: Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the Organic Spice Industrial Unit in the Ri-Bhoi district on Friday. Located at Bhoirymbong, the facility serves as the largest organic spice processing plant in North East India. The project, which cost 30 crore rupees to develop, aims to process over 10,000 metric tonnes of spices annually.
This hub is designed to benefit approximately 5,500 farmers across 112 villages. By providing essential infrastructure for processing and packaging, the initiative is expected to increase local farmers' incomes by up to 50 percent. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma noted that this is the eleventh such facility in the state, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to roughly 55,000 people.
Sitharaman praised the state's potential to capture a larger share of the international market. Addressing the attendees, she noted, "With the global certified organic ginger market expected to approach USD 7 billion by 2030, Meghalaya is positioned as a premium origin that international buyers are actively seeking."
The facility was completed in less than two years following the foundation stone ceremony in August 2024. The project represents a partnership between the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Government officials emphasized that the plant aligns with the state's goal to transform agriculture into a high-value enterprise while strengthening global market access.
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