Centre launches Rs 175.45-crore mission to make Meghalaya’s Lakadong turmeric a global brand

The Centre on July 21 launched a Rs 175.45-crore mission aimed at transforming Meghalaya’s GI-certified Lakadong turmeric into a globally competitive brand, with the objective of doubling farmers’ income and significantly expanding cultivation over the next five years.

The Meghalaya Lakadong Turmeric Integrated Development Mission was launched by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya M Scindia at Sanchar Bhavan in New Delhi in the presence of Conrad K Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, and state Agriculture Minister Timothy D Shira.

The mission aims to benefit more than 17,500 farmers across West Jaintia Hills and East Jaintia Hills by strengthening the entire Lakadong turmeric value chain, including cultivation, certification, processing, branding, value addition and exports.

Jointly funded by the Ministry of DoNER, the North Eastern Council, the Agriculture Ministry and the Meghalaya government, the initiative has been described by Scindia as “Mission Golden Spice”, reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of leveraging the Northeast’s unique strengths for national and international markets.

“Our northeastern states are no longer the periphery of the developmental paradigm but have now become the centre of India’s development,” Scindia said during the launch.

The Union Minister stated that the mission seeks to strengthen the Lakadong turmeric value chain by expanding processing capacity, reducing distress sales and increasing value addition. The programme targets doubling farmers’ remuneration to Rs 80 per kg by 2030.

The mission also envisages expanding the area under Lakadong turmeric cultivation from 2,500 hectares to 7,000 hectares and promoting exports to international markets, including the United States, the European Union, Japan and Gulf countries.

Scindia highlighted that the initiative would promote women-led development, noting that Lakadong turmeric had gained international recognition after being showcased by Prime Minister Modi at the G7 Summit.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the high curcumin content and premium quality of Lakadong turmeric stem from the unique soil and ecosystem of the Jaintia Hills. “The unique soil and ecosystem in West Jaintia Hills and East Jaintia Hills ensure the high quality of Lakadong turmeric, making it the right product for this mission,” he said.

Sangma added that the programme would significantly improve the livelihoods of thousands of farmers and entrepreneurs, particularly women engaged in turmeric cultivation and processing. He also said that the state government has created financial mechanisms to provide working capital to farmers, self-help groups and organisations without requiring conventional banking collateral.

Officials said the mission targets annual production of 49,400 metric tonnes of Lakadong turmeric by 2030, with women expected to account for 99 per cent of participation in processing and institutional activities.