Shillong, Nov 29 (PTI) In a bid to place Meghalaya and the region firmly on the global organic map, the state government on Friday inaugurated the first Northeast India Organic Week, a multi-nation platform that brought together delegations and buyers from 13 countries to boost trade and innovation in the sector.

The event was organised in partnership with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the Union Commerce Ministry and IFOAM-Organics Asia.

Officials said representatives from Malaysia, Taiwan, Mongolia, Indonesia, New Zealand and several other countries are participating at the event, signalling the region's growing potential as a gateway for global organic trade.

APEDA general manager Dr Saswati Bose described the initiative as a "significant milestone for India and the global organic community", noting Meghalaya's biodiversity and strong community farming traditions.

She said APEDA had helped products such as turmeric, ginger, niche spices and fruits enter West Asia markets in recent years.

Meghalaya Agriculture Commissioner and Secretary Dr Vijay Kumar D said the state was among the fastest growing in the country, driven largely by agriculture.

"Meghalaya is the second fastest growing state behind Tamil Nadu and the only one with 10 per cent growth over the last four years post-COVID," he said.

He said Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma's vision was to more than double farmers' income by 2028 and highlighted the government's "hub-and-spoke model" linking village-level centres to major processing hubs.

A new ginger processing unit worth Rs 25 crore has been set up as the largest organic spice processing facility in the Northeast, he added.

Dr Kumar said Lakadong turmeric, with up to 13 per cent curcumin content, was among the finest in the world.

The state is also establishing an extraction unit for bio-curcumin tablets and aims to bring one lakh hectares - nearly 25 per cent of the state's cultivated area - under certified organic agriculture by 2028.

He also cited ongoing climate action efforts under the 'Green Meghalaya' initiative and said bamboo-based biochar could help revive the state's acidic soils.

APEDA chairman Abhishek Dev said Meghalaya had "significant export potential" in organic produce and emphasised the need for strong partnerships with state governments to improve last-mile connectivity.

He also highlighted the rollout of the eighth edition of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), which focuses on strengthening certification systems.

IFOAM-Asia executive director Jennifer Chang said the event was a major milestone for the global organic movement.

Referring to her visit to a Khasi mandarin orchard in Mawphu, she said farmers in the region were "organic by default" and served as "stewards of nature".

IFOAM adviser Brendan Hoare called the organic movement "borderless and collaborative" and urged long-term cooperation among stakeholders.

Following the inauguration, dignitaries opened an exhibition featuring certified organic products from farmer producer organisations, cooperatives and enterprises across the Northeast.

A dedicated Meghalaya Organic Pavilion displayed produce from state-supported collectives alongside kiosks from APEDA, the Tea Board, the Directorate of Food Processing and other agencies.

A presentation by CRISIL associate director Priyanka Uday described Meghalaya as an emerging powerhouse in India's organic sector.

She said exports of organic ginger to Dubai had reached 15 metric tonnes between 2019 and 2023, while sales of organic black pepper had doubled.

GI-tagged Khasi mandarins have also made inroads into Gulf markets through the Lulu Group, she added.

The afternoon sessions included a buyer-seller meet and discussions on NPOP regulations and labelling norms.

The Northeast India Organic Week will continue till December 1 and aims to strengthen youth-led innovation and build a robust ecosystem for organic agriculture and trade in the region. PTI JOP MNB