Shillong: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) wants a major shift in the proposed Meghalaya State Agriculture Policy 2026. State Youth Wing president Marbud Dkhar and secretary Nathaniel Mawrie submitted a nine-point plan to Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Timothy D. Shira on Wednesday. They demand automatic government intervention whenever market prices collapse. The party wants procurement to start within 72 hours if prices drop 15 percent below the minimum support price. Payments should hit bank accounts within seven days. The VPP proposed a trigger price set before the sowing season to guide farmer decisions.
The plan targets the power of middlemen. The party wants strict licensing for agents under the Meghalaya State Agricultural Marketing Board. They also pushed for solar-powered cold storage in every district, backed by an 80 percent subsidy for farmer producer organizations. Other infrastructure ideas include micro-processing units and pilot gravity ropeways. The party claims ropeways could slash transport costs by 70 percent. The VPP insists that the policy must link directly to jobs. They requested that 80 percent of roles in new agri-hubs be reserved for local youth.
The proposal also includes free crop insurance and seed banks for those growing indigenous crops. During droughts or famine, the party wants the state to buy produce for the PM POSHAN and Mid-Day Meal programmes. The party highlighted the need for actual results. The Youth Wing stated, "The policy should not remain confined to government files." They now demand a clear timeline and accountability to ensure these changes reach farmers on the ground.
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