Kew variety pineapple from Meghalaya will hit markets across the country with a Bengaluru-based company signing an agreement with a farmers’ collective in Ri-Bhoi district for its supply.
The agreement was signed between Mother India Farms and Tomonpo Anglong Organic Farmers Producer Company.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, under the agreement, facilitated by the Meghalaya Natural and Organic Society for Livelihood and Innovation in Agriculture (MEGNOLIA), nearly 300 registered farmers from six villages in Ri-Bhoi district will receive support to scale their operations.
Mother India Farms will fully finance and implement the Internal Control System (ICS), including training, internal inspections, data management, and organic certification facilitation, at no cost to the farmers.
It will also oversee the procurement and marketing of certified produce and extend organic price premiums based on market conditions and quality standards.
Agriculture Department Secretary Vijay Kumar D said, “Our goal is to enhance the income of farmers and take Meghalaya’s certified organic produce to the global market.”
He also expressed his optimism stating that with technical expertise, more crops like turmeric can also enter premium markets.
Mother India Farms CEO R Durairaj emphasised the importance of obtaining necessary certifications to market the state’s products to international markets. He said the agreement is a crucial step in this regard.
Founded in 2017 under the MOVCD-NER scheme with support from the Directorate of Horticulture, Tomonpo has expanded to manage over 500 hectares of certified organic farmland and produces 600-800 metric tonnes of pineapples annually.
Over the past six years, the collective has built a reputation for quality and consistency, supplying to institutional buyers including Mother Dairy and Reliance Fresh.
In addition to pineapples, Tomonpo farmers also grow certified organic ginger, black sticky rice, Khasi Mandarin, banana, and guava.
