The Government of Meghalaya on February 25 inaugurated the Meghalaya Strawberry Festival 2026 at Wah-Ling-Syiem Meadows in Smit, spotlighting the state’s push for agro-tourism, high-value horticulture and farmer-led entrepreneurship. The event aims to give growers direct market access by linking them with buyers and cutting out intermediaries, officials said.
Stalls at the festival displayed fresh strawberries alongside a wide range of value-added products — jams, juices, desserts, wines and other processed items — offering visitors a farm-to-table experience and showcasing the commercial potential of local produce.
Addressing the gathering, R. M. Kurbah, Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills, said strawberry cultivation has strong export potential and that processed by-products are even more marketable. She highlighted state initiatives, including the PRIME scheme, and several central programmes designed to strengthen high-value agriculture and supply chains, and urged farmers to engage with the Horticulture Department to avail themselves of these schemes.
Kurbah said the state government is distributing three strawberry varieties — Winter Dawn, Sweet Sensation and Festival — and that farmers with around 254 square metres of land are eligible to receive 1,022 planting materials along with irrigation pipes and water storage facilities to promote sustainable farming and raise productivity.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma had earlier announced in his budget speech that Meghalaya will introduce the sweeter Japanese Tochiotome variety in the coming financial year, a move expected to bolster market positioning and farmers’ incomes.
Strawberry cultivation has spread to more than 250 villages and supports over 4,000 growers across the state, emerging as a viable alternative livelihood, particularly in rural areas. Drasing Suting, a farmer from Umsawwar village in Mawkynrew block, said he used to be a daily wage earner before taking up strawberries. “The strawberry festival recognises the hard work of farmers. I am thankful to the Tourism Department for giving us the opportunity to meet buyers directly without middlemen,” he said.
The Smit festival runs until February 28, 2026, and will move to Sohliya Football Ground in Umsning, Ri-Bhoi district, and to Darechikgre in Tura, West Garo Hills, from March 4 to 7, 2026, taking Meghalaya’s strawberry success story to other parts of the state.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/meghalaya/story/meghalaya-kicks-off-strawberry-festival-2026-at-smit-village-1352223-2026-02-26?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-02-26 22:26:00
