Meghalaya makes history with first sea shipment of ginger to Dubai

Meghalaya has achieved a significant milestone in agricultural exports as 15 metric tons of the state's ginger departed for Dubai in the first-ever sea shipment of this commodity from the region.

The Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company (FPC) coordinated the shipment to a Dubai group with support from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Meghalaya government.

"Sea shipment is crucial as it ensures cost competitiveness," said Abhishek Dev, Chairman of APEDA, during the flag-off ceremony in Shillong. "With our dedicated sea protocol and close coordination among stakeholders, I'm confident our shipments will be well received in the UAE market."

The achievement marks a turning point for Meghalaya's agricultural sector, which has historically struggled with fragmented landholding, limited credit access, and inconsistent market linkages that often led farmers to rely heavily on intermediaries.

From modest beginnings in 2017, the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic FPC has grown substantially, now supporting over 500 farmers across nine villages. The cooperative has modernized its processing facilities for washing, slicing, drying, and packaging ginger, resulting in a remarkable revenue increase from ₹17 lakh in 2018-19 to ₹374 lakh in 2023-24.

"The farmers are the owners of the cooperatives, and these cooperatives provide them security and hope for the future," said Abdelkarim Sma, Country Director of IFAD, who attended the ceremony alongside other dignitaries.

To further strengthen export capabilities, the Meghalaya government is developing one of Northeast India's first organically certified spice processing units in Bhoirymbong, Ri-Bhoi District. The ₹21 crore facility, funded with support from IFAD, will process over 10,000 metric tons of spices annually and benefit 5,500 organic farmers through enhanced storage, solar-powered processing, and direct linkages to international buyers.

The government expects this export initiative to provide better remuneration for farmers while contributing to the state's economic growth through high-value agricultural exports.

Previous APEDA-supported exports of GI-tagged Khasi Mandarin and organic pineapple have paved the way for this expansion into the ginger market, with officials encouraging producers to prepare for Gulf Food 2026, where India will be featured as a partner country.