Meghalaya’s famous kew pineapples to hit markets across India

The Meghalaya Natural and Organic Society for Livelihood and Innovation in Agriculture (MEGNOLIA) facilitated the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between Mother India Farms and Tomonpo Anglong Organic Farmers Producer Company Ltd., representing nearly 300 registered farmers across six villages in Ri-Bhoi district.

The deal centres on Meghalaya's prized Kew variety pineapples, which the farmer collective has been cultivating on certified organic farmland. Under the agreement, Mother India Farms will fully finance and implement the Internal Control System, including training, inspections, data management, and organic certification processes at no cost to farmers.

Vijay Kumar D, Commissioner & Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, emphasised the state's commitment to supporting such initiatives. "We will be happy to support. Our aim is to enhance the income of farmers," he said, highlighting the government's focus on advancing certification processes and accessing global markets.

The partnership represents a significant milestone for Tomonpo, which was established in 2017 under the MOVCD-NER scheme with support from the Directorate of Horticulture. The collective now manages over 500 hectares of certified organic farmland and produces 600-800 metric tonnes of pineapples annually.

R. Durairaj, CEO of Mother India Farms, expressed confidence in the collaboration. "We are confident in Meghalaya; we can do better. FoodChain ID is also guiding us," he stated, emphasising the importance of obtaining necessary certifications for international market access.

The farmer collective has built a strong reputation over six years, consistently supplying quality produce to institutional buyers, including Mother Dairy and Reliance Fresh. Beyond pineapples, Tomonpo farmers also cultivate certified organic ginger, black sticky rice, Khasi Mandarin, banana, and guava.

Under the new arrangement, Mother India Farms will oversee the procurement and marketing of certified produce while extending organic price premiums based on market conditions and quality standards. This approach creates a farmer-centric, market-ready ecosystem that aligns with Meghalaya's broader vision of becoming an organic agriculture hub.

The timing of this partnership coincides with preparations for the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival 2025, demonstrating how farmer groups in the state are positioning themselves for premium, export-oriented organic markets.

The signing ceremony was attended by B. Mylliem Umlong, Director Horticulture; M. Lyngdoh Suiam, Chief Administrative Officer of MEGNOLIA; Pranjal J. Dutta, District Horticulture Officer for Ri Bhoi; Raghavendra MT, Senior General Manager for Operations & Special Projects; Chinmayee Deulgaonkar, Managing Director of FoodChain ID; and John Lyngdoh, CEO of Tomonpo Anglong Organic Producer Company Limited.

This collaboration marks another step in the Government of Meghalaya's strategy for sustainable rural development through institutional partnerships, strengthening the state's agricultural economy and reinforcing its position as a reliable source of clean, traceable organic produce.