Shillong, Oct 23: The Secretary, North Eastern Council (NEC), Shri Satinder Kumar Bhalla, visited West Jaintia Hills district on 23 October 2026 to review the progress of on-ground activities under the USP project, Integrated Lakadong Turmeric Value Chain Enhancement Project.
The Secretary was accompanied by Dr. Sentitula, IFS, Director (Tourism & Industries), NEC; Shri.Pranjal J. Dutta, Joint Managing Director, Meghalaya State Agricultural Marketing Board, Government of Meghalaya; and officials from the offices of the District Horticulture Officer, District Agriculture Officer and Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA).
During the visit, the Secretary inspected the site at Thadmuthlong C. Phramer village for the construction of a Centralised Processing Unit. The implementing team presented the layout of the Curcumin Extraction Plant and briefed him on the progress of preparatory activities. The team informed him that civil engineers and technical personnel were working on the plans and cost estimates, following which the tendering process would be initiated.
The Secretary also interacted with members of the Lakadong Turmeric Cooperative Union Ltd., the proprietor of the Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged Lakadong Turmeric. The Union apprised him of its collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in implementing the project.
Members also shared their experiences from exposure visits to Kandhamal, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, undertaken to gain practical insights into turmeric production technologies, turmeric extraction units, soilless cultivation techniques and market linkages.
The Union expressed confidence that the proposed Curcumin Extraction Unit would strengthen local value addition, enable growers to secure better prices for Lakadong Turmeric and improve livelihood opportunities for farming communities across the Jaintia region.
The Secretary subsequently visited the existing Lakadong Turmeric processing unit operated by the Shangpung Farmers Union Collective Marketing Centre (CMC) at Shangpung Pohshnong. During his interaction with CMC members and farmers from neighbouring villages, the farmers highlighted challenges associated with turmeric cultivation, particularly the shortage of manure, and sought assistance in procuring cattle to address the requirement.
In response, the Secretary clarified that such an intervention falls outside the mandate of NEC and suggested that the farmers explore the relevant support available through the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), subject to the applicable scheme provisions and eligibility criteria.
While reviewing the CMC’s operations, the Secretary emphasised the importance of maintaining packaging quality and ensuring compliance with prescribed export requirements to minimise the risk of product rejection.
He also advised the implementation of a batch-coding system to strengthen traceability and facilitate efficient business operations. Further, he recommended branding the adhesive tape and carton boxes with the CMC’s identity to improve brand visibility and market recognition.
The visit also included an inspection of the CMC’s collective farming model plot, where the Secretary reviewed the ongoing Lakadong Turmeric cultivation activities.
As part of the visit, the Secretary inspected the Bio-curcumin Extraction Unit operated by LIFE Spice Processing Cooperative Society Ltd. at Laskein village. The unit is yet to commence curcumin extraction operations, pending the required ISO certification.
Following the inspection, the Secretary advised the implementing team to draw lessons from the existing unit while planning and executing similar projects. He stressed the importance of identifying and obtaining all necessary certifications, approvals and regulatory compliances alongside infrastructure development and machinery installation. Such advance planning, he noted, would help ensure timely operationalisation of the unit and prevent machinery from remaining idle after installation.
The visit provided an opportunity to assess the progress of the project on the ground, engage directly with farmer collectives and identify areas requiring attention to strengthen processing infrastructure, product quality, market access and value addition for Lakadong Turmeric in Meghalaya.
