SHILLONG, Jan 22: In what may be termed a fillip to the turmeric farming community in West Jaintia Hills, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) has approved “Turmeric Cluster” for the district worth around Rs 52 crore under Cluster Development Programme.
This was announced during a daylong conference on ‘India Cold Chain Conclave’ organized by the Ministry in conjunction with the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi on January 19.
During the conference, Secretary MoA&FW, Manoj Ahuja, formally announced the decision on setting up of the Turmeric Cluster in West Jaintia Hills under Horticulture Cluster Development Programme and the nod to the ‘Acceptance Letter’ to Meghalaya for its implementation.
The West Jaintia Hills Turmeric Cluster envisages development of Lakadong turmeric on three verticals of the entire value chain, including pre-production-production, post-harvest management and value addition and logistics, marketing and branding, in order to make it globally competitive.
Dr Vijay Kumar D, Commissioner and Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, while highlighting the broad contours of the project, said that Meghalaya State Agricultural Marketing Board Cleve Colony Shillong with the support of the National Horticulture Board and technical support of Grant Thornton (Ministry’s Consultants for the CDP) invited RFPs (request for proposals) for selection of Implementing Agencies to execute the verticals in West Jaintia Hills.
The Meghalaya Basin Management Agency emerged as the successful implementing agency for the project.
The project is estimated to cost Rs 52.31 crore which includes the Ministry’s share as grant-in-aid and the implementing agency would also provide equity.
The project is expected to be implemented in four years and transform the landscape of the horticulture ecosystem in Jaintia Hills.
