Guwahati: Meghalaya on Tuesday launched the Rs 175.45-crore Mission Golden Spice, a five-year initiative aimed at expanding the state’s GI-tagged Lakadong turmeric cultivation, strengthening its value chain and increasing farmers’ incomes.
The project, launched at Sanchar Bhavan in New Delhi, seeks to benefit more than 17,500 farming households across West and East Jaintia Hills, with women expected to account for 99 per cent of participation in processing and institutional activities.
The mission will be implemented between 2026 and 2030 through funding from the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and the Meghalaya government.
Addressing the launch, Union DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said the project aims to expand Lakadong turmeric cultivation and strengthen Meghalaya’s position in the global turmeric market.
He said the initiative envisages a collaborative investment of Rs 175.45 crore to double farmers’ remuneration and increase the cultivation area by 2030. Scindia also highlighted the high curcumin content of Lakadong turmeric and said the Centre is working to promote the product internationally.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the project reflects Meghalaya’s focus on developing end-to-end agricultural value chains and increasing value addition within the state.
He said the government has been working to improve farmers’ access to finance through farmer producer organisations (FPOs) while promoting entrepreneurship in agriculture. Sangma added that similar value chain initiatives are being developed for crops such as pineapple, ginger, jackfruit, honey and mushrooms.
Under the project, Lakadong turmeric cultivation will be expanded by an additional 7,000 hectares, taking the total cultivation area in the state to 9,581 hectares by 2030.
The mission aims to increase annual production by 49,400 metric tonnes, raising overall output to about 60,000 metric tonnes. It also targets increasing farmers’ earnings from around Rs 40,000 to Rs 83,700 per 1,000 kg of produce.
A key component of the project is the establishment of an integrated organic turmeric processing and curcumin extraction facility in West Jaintia Hills at a cost of Rs 41.69 crore. The facility will have the capacity to process 7,000 metric tonnes of fresh turmeric annually.
The project also includes the development of 28 integrated FPO packhouses, 28 cluster warehouses and Rs 35 crore worth of support for planting materials.
Of the total project cost, MDoNER and the North Eastern Council will contribute Rs 87.62 crore towards infrastructure development. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare will provide Rs 58.10 crore for production enhancement and organic certification, while the Meghalaya government will contribute Rs 29.73 crore for branding, FPO working capital and traceability systems linked to GI protection and exports.
Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Timothy D. Shira, who addressed the event virtually, said the mission aims to transform Lakadong turmeric into a globally competitive, export-oriented crop while creating around 3,000 new livelihoods.
Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar D said the initiative forms part of Meghalaya’s broader strategy to strengthen agricultural value chains and support farming communities through value addition and market access.
The launch also featured interactions with Lakadong turmeric growers, including Padma Shri awardee Trinity Saioo and farmer Jhanika Siangshai, who shared their experiences in cultivating the crop.