TURA: To impart technical skills to farmers and promote food-processing industry in the region, a day-long Food Tech Conclave and Outreach Programme on ‘Agriculture Export’ from North East was held here at SMELC conference hall in Dakopgre on Tuesday.
The programme was organised by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of Meghalaya in collaboration with Indian Chamber of Commerce, Department of Agriculture and APEDA.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills, Ram Singh, stated that the North East and Garo Hills, in particular, have abundant raw materials including various agricultural products but due to absence of manufacturing units in the region, it has become a supplier of raw materials to other states including the neighbouring Bangladesh and imports finished products.
Lamenting the absence of necessary infrastructure required for manufacturing units, he said that interested persons can establish good food-processing units in the region with the help of Meghalaya Institute of Entrepreneurship and by availing PMEGP loans provided by the government instead of setting up the same kind of business enterprise such as brick kilns, grocery shop, etc.
Stating that with rapid expansion of road connectivity even in rural areas and if trade route opens with Bhutan, Bangladesh, etc., he said Garo Hills would become a dumping ground of finished products in future. Therefore, people should establish manufacturing units in the region and promote economy through entrepreneurship.
Meanwhile, Additional DC of WGH, Ramakrishna Chiturii, said that Garo Hills has a lot of potential, but it needs logistics to export the products from the region.
Sharing his personal experience, he said that the pineapple found in Garo Hills is the tastiest but since there is no proper packaging facility, it cannot be sent to other places. Therefore, he urged the farmers to learn technical skills, avail the training and other incentives provided by the government in order to improve their farming activity.
In his speech, the regional director, Indian Chamber of Commerce, Ishantor Sobhapandit, highlighted the potential of Garo Hills with regard to agricultural products and geographical advantages being located close to South East Asian Countries, which needs intervention to reach the market with good packaging facilities. He also informed that the recent pact between India and Bangladesh to open Chittagong port would help the farmers to export their products and urged them to adopt packaging facilities in order to market their finished products.
District Agriculture Officer, West Garo Hills, Max Arengh, informed that the new Directorate of Food Processing, which was established in the state recently, is expected to facilitate the entrepreneurs in these sectors in the region.
