SHILLONG, FEB 27: In a significant breakthrough for hill agriculture, farmers in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills region have achieved a new level of market access and income stability.
A total of 150 metric tonnes of ginger and turmeric have been procured directly from 870 small and marginal producers across 54 villages in North Garo Hills.
This initiative has broken the cycle of market isolation, where farmers previously relied on middlemen and faced volatile prices.
“Price fluctuation in cash crops is a major challenge for farmers in Meghalaya. Through this initiative, we are connecting farmers directly with large exporters and companies through B2B procurement,” said Dr. Joram Beda, Director, MNREDA.
The program, implemented by Save the Nature International and Cultivator Natural Products, Jodhpur, in partnership with Dijako Agro Farmer Producer Company (FPC), ensures fair prices and reduces risk for farmers.
They receive fixed prices of around ₹40 per kilogram for fresh ginger and ₹25 per kilogram for fresh turmeric.
The initiative is supported by the Meghalaya New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (MNREDA) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), aiming to build a sustainable market system for tribal farmers.
