Meghalaya launches digital mandi to link cash crop farmers with buyers

Meghalaya has launched a state-wide digital marketplace aimed at connecting cash crop farmers directly with buyers, aggregators and transporters, with the platform covering all 12 districts and more than 13 major crops.

Called Meghalaya Mandi, the platform was launched by the Department of Soil and Water Conservation on August 26. It is designed to address persistent problems faced by farmers, including uncertain prices, fragmented markets, high transportation costs and dependence on multiple intermediaries.

The platform is being expanded from a five-month market-linkage pilot conducted in North Garo Hills. The pilot facilitated the sale of around 330 metric tonnes of produce, comprising 180 MT of ginger, 100 MT of bananas, 30 MT of pineapple and 20 MT of turmeric.

Around 800 farmers participated in the pilot, generating about Rs 1.5 crore in business value and an estimated Rs 78 lakh in additional income for growers. The department said the transactions were carried out without expenditure from the government exchequer.

The potential of the model was demonstrated during the launch with the dispatch of a 13 MT consignment of bananas to Jamshedpur-based Himalayan Food Company. Farmers were offered a fixed price of Rs 120 per bunch, regardless of the size of the bananas, providing greater certainty over returns.

The department said the state-wide rollout would bring producers and market participants onto a single platform, allowing farmers to identify buyers and access markets beyond their immediate areas.

The initiative also comes as Meghalaya seeks to increase the economic value of its agricultural produce, particularly crops such as Lakadong turmeric, ginger, pineapple and oranges, which have demand outside the state.

Officials involved in the North Garo Hills pilot said establishing reliable market connections remains a key challenge for farmers, particularly because of price fluctuations and transportation costs.

With the expansion of the pilot across Meghalaya, the government is seeking to move from district-level market interventions to a common digital system for cash crop trade across the state.