Shillong, Jan 13: The Meghalaya Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy Development Agency (MNREDA) has launched a major intervention to support pineapple, ginger, and banana farmers in Garo Hills, aiming to increase farm incomes and establish sustainable market linkages.
The initiative involves large-scale direct procurement of ginger and turmeric, with 300 farmers from 18 villages participating.
Farmers are being paid Rs 40 per kg for fresh ginger, almost double the local market price. Village-level companies are managing aggregation, transportation, and packaging, reducing farmers’ costs and losses.
The first consignment of ginger and turmeric was flagged off to Cultivator Natural Products in Jodhpur for ginger oil extraction.
MNREDA Chairman Rupert Momin stressed the importance of scaling up direct market access for farmers, while Director Dr Joram Beda highlighted the role of collective farmer mobilisation and sustainable supply chains in improving livelihoods.
