Meghalaya organic produce reaches Singapore markets

Meghalaya’s organic agricultural products, marketed under the ‘Meghalaya Collectives’ brand, have reached international markets in Singapore. This expansion follows a visit by Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), to the state to review the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project (Megha-LAMP).

Supported by the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) and IFAD, the initiative aims to transition traditional subsistence farming into profitable commercial agriculture. In the Ri-Bhoi district, the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company Ltd (ERBOFPC) PRIME Hub serves as a key processing center. The project has utilized approximately USD 3.12 million to enhance infrastructure, including machinery for cleaning, sorting, and packaging to meet international standards.

Other successful community-led models, such as the Fruits Valley Farmers Producer Company Limited in Jirang, have already traded significant quantities of GI-tagged Khasi Mandarin, ginger, and pineapple. These enterprises involve hundreds of farmers, the majority of whom are women, and operate under a Build-Operate-Transfer framework to ensure commercial viability.