By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 4: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, on Monday, responded to concerns about the limited presence of regulated wholesale markets in the state, which is currently prevalent only in Garobadha (West Garo Hills) and Mawiong (East Khasi Hills).
Addressing the media after the 3rd Meghalaya Farmers’ Parliament inaugural programme, Sangma said that the state government is trying to empower farmers by facilitating the formation of their associations and allowing them to operate markets on their terms, minimising the role of middlemen.
Sangma stated, “This way the farmers have the full authority to run the markets whichever way they like.”
Agriculture Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh supplemented this by emphasising the evolving nature of markets in the changing era. She underscored the importance of direct connections between farmers for product sales, as opposed to traditional wholesale/retail markets.
Lyngdoh explained, “In a regulated market, you have other kinds of produces and products with likely a short shelf life; here, we are looking at farmers connecting to international marts.”
The Agriculture minister highlighted the department’s support in guiding farmers to market their produce globally. She added, “The department is hand-holding the farmers to market their produce globally and wherein these marts and conferences serve as new concepts of marketing, and this is where the GI tags come into play wherein it is an international certification that helps showcasing the uniqueness of the products and also market them worldwide.”
