Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday inaugurated the Northeast’s largest organic spice processing unit in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district, a project aimed at boosting value addition, exports and market access for organic farmers across the region.
The facility, located at Bhoirymbong, has been established by the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company Ltd under the Centre’s Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCD-NER).
The inauguration was attended by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang.
According to the Finance Minister’s Office, the facility is the first organically certified spice processing unit in the Northeast and is expected to emerge as a key institution for the region’s organic agriculture sector.
The unit has the capacity to process more than 10,000 metric tonnes of high-value organic spices annually, including ginger, turmeric, black pepper and chilli. It has received certification under the National Programme for Organic Production and European Union Organic Standards, enabling access to premium domestic and international markets.
Officials said the facility is expected to directly benefit around 5,500 organic farmers in Meghalaya and other northeastern states by improving quality control, strengthening value addition and providing direct market linkages.
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The project is also expected to reduce post-harvest losses through modern storage and processing infrastructure while improving price realisation for farmers by reducing dependence on intermediaries.
In addition, the processing unit is expected to generate employment opportunities in processing, packaging and logistics.
The Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company comprises 500 organic farmers from nine villages organised through 26 Farmer Interest Groups. The project has received support under the MOVCD-NER scheme, the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture and various state government initiatives.
The Meghalaya government facilitated the project through convergence with programmes supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development, with an investment estimated at around Rs 30-32 crore.
Officials described the facility as a model for farmer-owned enterprises and market-driven rural infrastructure in the Northeast.
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