Shillong, Jul 21: More than 17,500 farmers in Meghalaya, 99 per cent of them women, are set to benefit from the newly launched Rs 175.45 crore Mission Golden Spice, which is aimed at scaling up Lakadong turmeric cultivation and processing.
Launched today by Union Development of North East Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, the 2026-2030 mission will focus on West and East Jaintia Hills, where the high-curcumin Lakadong variety is grown.
The programme will expand cultivation from 2,500 hectares to 7,000 hectares and push production to 49,400 tonnes by 2030. Farmgate prices are targeted at Rs 80 per kilo, up from current rates.
Scindia said the mission is “built on the innate strength of the North East” and will help farmers avoid distress sales while opening export markets in the US, EU, Japan and Gulf countries. Lakadong turmeric had earlier been showcased at a recent G7 summit.
Sangma said the mission comes at a crucial time for a crop that has already transformed rural livelihoods. “The uniqueness of Lakadong comes from the soil and ecosystem of Jaintia Hills, which cannot be replicated,” he said.
Under the scheme, the government will provide technology, infrastructure and working capital to farmers, self-help groups (SHGs) and producer groups without collateral requirements. The goal is to make Meghalaya a leading producer of premium, organic and GI-certified Lakadong turmeric.
State focused on Lakadong turmeric after Central instruction
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma stated that the Union Development of North East Region (DoNER) Ministry has instructed all regional states to choose one product on which to focus and create a system for its overall promotion.
The CM was referring to the new Mission Golden Spice, which was launched today by DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sangma with the aim of expanding cultivation, increasing production and paying farmers more per kilo of produce.
Sangma stated that, in Meghalaya’s case, Lakadong turmeric is unique to the state, specifically West and East Jaintia Hills.
Past attempts to grow Lakadong turmeric in other parts of the North East failed because the high curcumin content, for which the Lakadong variety is prized for, dropped.
The CM said that systems have been fine-tuned, like giving working capital to organisations, and funds are available through a financial institution set up by the state so that the farmers do not have to worry about onerous banking requirements.
Scindia, meanwhile, stated that Mission Golden Spice will help the people of Meghalaya to take Lakadong turmeric nationally and internationally.
The Union Minister stated that the approach is to ensure value chain development and strategic enterprise so that distress sales are obviated and farmer remuneration doubles by 2030.
