Meghalaya: North Garo Hills banana growers establish direct market link with Patna

Thirty-five banana farmers from Meghalaya’s North Garo Hills have collectively sent around 15 metric tonnes of raw bananas to a bulk buyer in Patna, marking a shift from local trading towards organised market access.

The consignment was marketed to Himalayan Traders in Patna through DjakoAgro Producer Company Limited, with support from the Meghalaya New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (MNREDA).

The initiative uses a farmer-aggregator-bulk buyer model, under which produce from individual farmers is collected, aggregated and transported to a larger market. The model is aimed at improving farmers’ bargaining power, reducing dependence on distress sales and helping them access better prices.

DjakoAgro coordinated the collection and aggregation of the bananas and arranged transportation and market-linkage support for the consignment.

The Patna shipment is being treated as a pilot to assess factors including banana quality, size, maturity, grading, packaging and prevailing buyer demand. Feedback from the buyer is expected to help farmers and the aggregator refine procurement practices, quality standards and pricing mechanisms for future consignments.

The initiative could also give farmers better access to information on demand and price trends, allowing them to plan production and harvesting according to market requirements.

According to the information provided by MNREDA, the organised market channel could help reduce distress sales during peak harvesting periods while creating opportunities to collectively market larger volumes to additional markets.

The first consignment is being seen as a step towards developing a stronger banana value chain in North Garo Hills, with the longer-term objective of connecting farmers in the region to larger markets and consumption centres beyond Meghalaya.