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Ri-Bhoi, June 19: Northeast India’s biggest organic spice plant is now open in Meghalaya. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the ₹32 crore facility in Ri-Bhoi district Thursday, calling it a leap for farmers and clean farming.
She said the future of agriculture is about producing “better, cleaner, safer, more traceable and more sustainable products.” Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang joined her at the launch.
Sitharaman said Meghalaya’s age-old Khasi wisdom on sustainability gives it an edge as global buyers chase organic, traceable produce. The state, she added, is set to lead India’s premium organic revolution.
The plant can process over 10,000 metric tonnes of ginger, turmeric, black pepper and chilli a year. It has cold storage, dry storage, washing, drying and pulverising units all under one roof.
It is the Northeast’s first organically certified spice unit, cleared under NPOP and EU Organic Standards. That means direct entry for farmers into high-value Indian and overseas markets.
Around 5,500 organic farmers across Meghalaya and the region will gain from better prices, lower post-harvest losses, and stronger market links. The project was driven by the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company.
The Finance Minister flagged Meghalaya’s GI-tagged Lakadong turmeric, known for ultra-high curcumin levels, and its low-fibre ginger varieties. She said the goal now is to export finished brands, not raw produce.
Chief Minister Sangma called the plant a gamechanger. He said eleven such units now run across Meghalaya, helping nearly 55,000 farmer families through value addition and market access.
Agriculture Secretary Vijay Kumar D. said the unit could lift farmer incomes by nearly 50 per cent in one season. He credited Meghalaya’s community public-private partnership model for bringing world-class infrastructure to remote areas.
