Shillong, Aug 8: Eight editions in and Shillong’s Farmers’ Market is still selling out. Fresh cabbage, sweet pineapple, crisp maize and baskets of organic greens flew off tables on Saturday as thousands turned up for Meghalaya’s homegrown farm-to-table push.
Organized by 1917 iTEAMS under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, with support from the Meghalaya Farmers’ Empowerment Commission, the monthly market has now crossed 5000 visitors in total. The idea is simple: cut the middlemen, pay farmers better, and put fresh, local food straight into city kitchens.
This August, stalls from across the state brimmed with seasonal produce and value-added products. Shoppers didn’t just buy, they chatted, asked about growing methods, and left with bags full of chemical-free vegetables.
The buzz is moving beyond Polo Ground too. Through a tie-up with SOMOI, Shillong’s own quick-commerce platform, market produce now lands at doorsteps across the city. Orders keep climbing each month, and local youth are finding work as delivery partners.
For growers, it’s more than sales. Aroma Talang from West Jaintia Hills, selling organically grown produce for the second time, called the platform “special.” She started organic farming in 2025 and says it’s healthier for land and people. “When chemicals dominate, organic is the natural choice,” she said.
Newcomer Store Kharlukhi from Thadlaskein was stunned to see products vanish within hours. “The response was overwhelming. I will definitely be back,” she said.
