Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Friday that the Northeast is positioned to become India’s next major growth engine. Speaking at the inauguration of the region’s largest organic spice processing plant in Meghalaya, she emphasized that the area's future success depends on high-quality, traceable agricultural output rather than sheer volume.
The new processing facility, operated by the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company Ltd. in Bhoirymbong, aims to bolster the production of local spices like ginger, black pepper, and Lakadong turmeric. This development is designed to help local farmers and women entrepreneurs secure better returns by adding value to their crops and accessing international markets.
Sitharaman highlighted the importance of consumer confidence in global trade. During her address, she noted, “The future of agriculture increasingly belongs not to those who produce the most, but to those who produce the best — cleaner, more traceable, more trusted and more premium.”
The minister framed this push for organic growth as a vital component of the broader vision for a developed India by 2047. She expressed a desire for the Northeast to move beyond just keeping pace with the rest of the nation and instead step into a role as a national leader. She stressed that economic progress in the region must remain environmentally responsible, stating, “We have to live and cohabit with nature.”
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