New Delhi, June 19: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday inaugurated the northeast’s largest organic spice processing unit at Bhoirymbong in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district, with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Sikkim Chief Minister P.S. Tamang Golay in attendance. The facility has been set up by the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company (FPC), a farmer-owned enterprise promoted under the Government of India’s Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCD‑NER) scheme.
The plant is the first organically certified spice processing unit in the northeast and, according to Sitharaman, has the capacity to process more than 10,000 metric tonnes of high-value organic spices annually, including ginger, turmeric, black pepper and chilli.
Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic FPC has developed a range of supporting infrastructure for the unit, including collection and aggregation centres, processing facilities, cold storage, vermicompost units, hiring centres and transportation facilities. The unit is certified under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and meets EU organic standards, enabling direct access to premium domestic and international markets.
An official statement said the processing facility is expected to directly benefit about 5,500 organic farmers across Meghalaya and the wider northeastern region by improving value addition, reducing post‑harvest losses through modern storage and processing, and strengthening aggregation and quality control mechanisms.
The statement added that the unit will provide direct linkages with national and international buyers, reduce dependence on intermediaries, fetch better prices for farmers, create local jobs in processing, packaging and logistics, and promote exports of certified organic products from the North East.
Separately, the Spices Board India said the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), once operationalised, is expected to boost export opportunities for Indian spices by improving market access, regulatory cooperation and trade predictability-helping exporters, farmers and MSMEs navigate non‑tariff barriers, align compliance standards and realise better returns through value‑added products. IANS
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/06/19/fm-sitharaman-inaugurates-northeasts-largest-organic-spice-processing-unit/
Category: MEGHALAYA,NATIONAL,News Alert
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Publish Date: 2026-06-19 14:45:00
