Guwahati, Aug 8: A golden spice from Meghalaya has won accolades from the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme, bringing international attention to the hardworking farmers who cultivate it.
Yes, the Lakadong Turmeric from Meghalaya has won a 2-star rating at the Great Taste Awards. A 2-star award denotes “outstanding” products.
Great Taste Awards organised by the Guild of Fine Foods is the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme. It offers a unique benchmarking and product evaluation service, leading to a 1-, 2-, or 3-star award that encourages confidence and commercial success for quality food & drink businesses. This, in turn, generates a greater awareness for products locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, providing a platform for award-winners to be discovered and enjoyed.
Nearly 3,500 companies from 115 countries around the world entered Great Taste this year, between them offering 13,672 products for review. Each entry was meticulously blind-tasted by the Guild’s expert judging panel of over 500 food critics, chefs, recipe creators, buyers, retailers, and other specialists in the field of food and drink. Entries were analysed across 92 judging days, each receiving detailed feedback on whether or not they obtained an award.
Judges at the Great Taste Awards were effusive in their praise: “It’s got a lovely vibrant colour and a warm, rich, spicy aroma with many layers: notes of citrus, earthiness, cinnamon, and honey,” remarked one. Another judge highlighted its “strong, citrusy ginger flavor,” noting its distinct spiciness and freshness that set it apart from typical commercial turmeric.
The product has been sourced by a London-based company Dear Farmer from a little village in West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. The entire process, from planting the root to grinding the dry slices into a powder, is done by a group of local women farmers who are part of an SHG (self-help group) known as Lakyntulang It is predominantly headed by a woman named Matilda and Ioi Tang.
It is being marketed by Dear Farmer, which got the product at the Great Taste Awards.
Lakadong turmeric gets its name from the tiny village of Lakadong, which is located in the foothills of the Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, India. Lakadong turmeric is distinguished by its remarkable curcumin content, ranging from 7 to 12%, in contrast to the 2 to 3% typically found in other turmeric varieties. This heightened curcumin concentration not only enhances the health-promoting and culinary properties of Lakadong turmeric but also positions this organically cultivated strain from Meghalaya as one of the most coveted spices in the region.
“In 2023, after two planes and two taxis, I finally met the farmers! During Covid time, I was in touch with a small Assam-based social impact company that connected me with them. It took me a few years of research to get to that point and find genuine farmers of Lakadong Turmeric. In 2022, we had a flag-off event commissioned by the local Meghalaya Government to officially flag off the first-ever shipment of Lakadong Turmeric to the UK, ” says Henna Shof Little Farmer.
“Through my company, Dear Farmer, I want to support and uplift small-scale farmers who are deeply facing the effects of climate change. After losing a close friend of mine in India to mental health, I looked into mental health cases in India, which were highest among farmers. Climate change and gender inequality exacerbate issues for small farmers, and I wanted to do something to help, ” she says.
Henna says the company pays the farmers at least 15% above what they want to be paid, i.e., we don’t negotiate with them (whatever they wish to be paid). “We are also slowly working towards reinvesting a part of our revenue into sustainable farming technologies to supplement their traditional farming methods,” she says.
“Through a transparent supply chain, we take deep care in our forests and farmers aiming to tell a story and level up dishes and people’s wellness. I hope to expand our work into teas as well and make a substantial difference, ” she adds.
“Being a mission-driven small business, we hand fill and pack our spices in small batches to ensure maximum freshness for our customers. Often, the spices sold here are stale and have been on shelves for a very long time, ” she says.
“The turmeric itself is regeneratively grown without any chemicals or pesticides. The women use traditional farming methods rather than industrial ones. It’s also grown at high altitudes, which I believe has a great impact on the quality and its high curcumin, ” she says.
Lakadong Turmeric has a GI tag that ensures that only turmeric grown in the specific geographical region of Lakadong, Meghalaya, can be labeled and marketed as “Lakadong Turmeric.” This geographical indication establishes a direct link between the product’s unique qualities and its origin, protecting against imitation and misrepresentation.
Meghalaya government has been giving all help to the farmers under Mission Lakadong, which was launched in 2018.
Moreover, the Lakadong turmeric variety has also been recognized under “One District, One Product Initiative” of DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, as a product with excellent potential for growth and export for West Jaintia Hills.
