Shillong, Dec 06: The three days’ North East Food Show 2019 concluded here with the Chief Ministers’ Conclave which was chaired by Chief Minister, Meghalaya, Conrad K Sangma and was attended by members, Biplab Kumar Deb, Chief Minister, Tripura, Chief Minister, Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, B S Pant, Minister, Tourism, Civil Aviation, Commerce & Industry, Sikkim and Special Guests, Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State, Youth Affairs & Sports and Rameshwar Teli, Minister of State, Ministry of Food Processing.
In his remarks, Chief Minister, Meghalaya, Conrad K Sangma said that the first edition of the North East Food Show witnessed 250 exhibitors, B2B discussions and training programmes. He also informed that different hotels have expressed interest to procure vegan meat like jackfruit. He said that the response for homemade and fruit made wine has been great and the government is looking at coming up with a policy to regulate wine making so that both the farmers and entrepreneurs can benefit.
He also announced that the North East Food Show will be an annual calendar event and the second edition of the North East Food Show would be held on the 26th, 27th and 28th Nov 2020 taking the food sector and all stakeholders in the food industry to new heights.
Minister of State, Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju in his speech said that food is crucial to human civilization and the identity of the people is associated with the food of the place. He added that the food of the North East is known to be healthy and organic and that within the North East the food business is huge providing attractive career options on a sustainable basis. He said that North East needs to look at the quality and not the quantity of food produced to make food and food processing a part of the economic growth of the region.
Minister of State, Ministry of Food Processing, Rameshwar Teli said that North East is renowned for organic farming which must be showcased and emulated in other parts of the country. He said that the Ministry of Food Processing is focussing on organic farming and products. He informed that Mega Food Parks has been sanctioned for all the North Eastern States except for Meghalaya and Sikkim but announced that the sanction for Meghalaya will soon have a Mega Food Park. He also assured of all support and help from his ministry for food processing industries.
The Chief Minister, Tripura, Biplab Deb in his speech called for concerted and integrated efforts from all the eight North Eastern states for a transformative change in food industry. He said that each state is well known for a particular fruit or food habit and that can be taken advantage of.
Mr Pema Khandu, Chief Minister, Arunachal Pradesh, highlighting the strengths of his State said that every developing nation or State has to focus on its primary sector, Agriculture and India as a whole and the North East is dependent on this sector. He hoped that the North East Food Show will be a changing factor for the entire North East.
Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation etc Sikkim, said that Sikkim with more than 76 thousand hectares of organic farming has been declared as hundred per cent organic farming. He informed that almost 50 percent of micro and small enterprises are related to food processing. He said that the North East Food Show is an opportunity to share knowledge and technical knowhow which can benefit the entire north Eastern region.
Giving a summary of the 1st North East Food Show, Principal Secretary, Agriculture, Dr P Sahkil Ahammed, said that the three days’ food show had sector wise sessions specifically road marked for North East. He said the overall idea that has come out from the sessions is that for the North East the focus should be on niche, unique, high value, low volume farming And products.
He said the sessions and discussions have showed the avenues and opportunities that every stakeholder from industries, supply and value chain, policy makers and academicians can come together and work for a common cause which can make North East a rising area and corridor of success for the country.
Various signing of MOUs and the release North East Gastronomic Handbook was also held during the occasion. The Chief Minister also felicitated the Trade Counsellors and Ambassadors during the function.
