TURA, June 21: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday said that the government is working on a number of interventions to promote value-added jackfruit products in the state under its flagship scheme – “Jackfruit Mission”— and said it is going to be a game-changer with the international market being the final destination.
In 2018, the ‘Jackfruit Mission’ was launched in the state and is being implemented by the Directorate of Food Processing.
Through the programme, the government is supporting the farmers engaged in jackfruit plantation and is providing training and other support to leverage their activities by connecting them with market linkage.
Speaking at the Nano Jackfruit Entrepreneurs event at College of Community Science, the chief minister said that with jackfruit grown abundantly in the state, the mission was launched with a view to create livelihood, value chain, etc. “The mission will be a game-changer as the demand for jackfruit products in the international market is very high”, he said.
Lauding the efforts of the entrepreneurs, the chief minister said that the state government will provide help to nano entrepreneurs to take the mission forward thereby bringing the benefits to the people.
Conrad also informed the gathering about the Chief Minister’s Support for Producers Group, wherein Rs 5,000 each is provided to individuals who collectively come together to form a group.
“Under the programme, each individual entrepreneurs or farmers with similar interest can come together and avail the support to further their entrepreneurial activities or use it as a startup fund to begin their venture,” he said.
He informed that Rs 5 crores has already been sanctioned to take this project forward. He also informed that the government is playing a proactive role to create market linkages with neighboring Bangladesh, Arab countries, etc. to create value chain, job opportunity et al.
He also took the opportunity to inform the entrepreneurs that the government is supporting a group to start packaging unit in the state, which will enable farmers and entrepreneurs to aid in branding and packaging their value-added food and fruit products.
During the event, the chief minister also interacted with entrepreneurs who have been working in the food processing sector with very small setups in different parts of Garo Hills. He said that the government is upbeat to upscale and connect the farmers and entrepreneurs to the market and also provide support through different entrepreneurship promotion programmes of the government — Prime Hub, E-Championship Challenge, etc. He also informed that Technology Incubation Centre is coming up at the College of Community Science in Tura.
In his address, West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Ram Singh, highlighted the food and nutritional values of jackfruit and said that streamlining of jackfruit processing will be achieved under the leadership of the chief minister.
During the interactive session, the chief minister awarded certificates to 13 shortlisted entrepreneurs. He also handed over to the entrepreneurs, who have received vocational training at the college, household items like pressure cooker, mixer grinder, sewing machine, etc. purchased with the one-day salary of the teaching faculty and staff donated to help the pandemic-hit people.
