Growing Together: Meghalaya’s Agriculture and Mother Dairy’s Commitment
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Sangma, the chief minister, praises the transformative memorandum.
The Meghalaya State Agricultural Marketing Board, working with the Meghalayan government, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mother Dairy Fruits and Vegetables Pvt. Ltd., a division of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), marking a significant advancement in supply chain management and agricultural marketing in the state. The objective of this agreement is to improve collaboration and yield significant advantages for Meghalaya’s agriculture industry.
A Formal Signing Event
Several important visitors attended the signing ceremony, which was a noteworthy occasion. Dr. Vijay Kumar D., IAS, Commissioner & Secretary of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare; Dr. Meenesh Shah, Chairman & Managing Director of the National Dairy Development Board; Shri Frederick Roy Kharkongor, Principal Secretary of the Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department, Government of Meghalaya; and Shri Manish Bandlish, Managing Director of Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd. were among those in attendance, along with Hon. Conrad K. Sangma, Hon. Chief Minister of Meghalaya. Participants included representatives from the departments of agriculture and allied fields.
The Chief Minister’s Hope
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma voiced his optimism regarding the success of the MoU during the occasion. He emphasized the possibility of forging a long-term alliance that would improve logistics and drastically cut down on the amount of time it takes for Meghalayan produce to travel to wider markets. “We are delighted with this MoU, as its scope will enhance logistics, significantly reducing transit time for our produce to reach larger markets,” he said. He underlined that Meghalaya’s farmers would gain a great deal from Mother Dairy’s wide network, which would enable them to obtain higher pricing and value for their produce.
Boosting Livelihoods and Assisting Farmers
The Chief Minister restated that this partnership’s main goals are to help farmers, improve their standard of living, and guarantee higher market pricing and value addition for their produce. He was optimistic that Meghalaya would become a major organic product supplier to the world market as well as to India. This collaboration intends to enhance post-harvest care and direct market connectivity to tackle significant issues that the state and its farming community confront.
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Collaborating with experts and researching crops
Mother Dairy experts will collaborate closely with the state to improve present management procedures. Research and development on crops, including productivity gains and varietal enhancements, will be the main emphasis of the partnership. Through efficient procurement of various produce varieties and cost optimization in logistics, the collaboration seeks to effectively promote the “Meghalaya brand” in Delhi. In addition, initiatives would be taken to support Meghalaya’s organic, fruit & vegetable, and dairy industries.
The NDDB’s chairman and managing director, Dr. Meenesh Shah, underlined the group’s dedication to carrying out farmer-centric projects in Meghalaya. He said, “The MoU signed between the Meghalaya State Agricultural Marketing Board, Government of Meghalaya, and Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Private Ltd towards a strategic partnership for growth and promotion of agricultural products from Meghalaya is truly a pathbreaking initiative in the interest of the State’s farmers.”
Increasing Output and Getting Access to Markets
To increase productivity, Dr. Shah continued, Mother Dairy would support value-added processing as well as varietal development and shelf-life extension. He gave his word that the NDDB would keep empowering farmers by giving them direct access to markets for their produce. Better and more generous prices for farmers will be guaranteed by this program, especially for agricultural products from Meghalaya and other North Eastern States, which are ideal for organic farming.
Principal Secretary of the Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department, Shri Frederick Roy Kharkongor, expressed confidence about the association, pointing out that this Memorandum of Understanding is only the start of a longer journey. He stressed that Meghalaya’s dairy industry has a lot of room to grow and that this collaboration can present new chances for regional farmers.
Secretary & Commissioner’s Perspectives
Many Meghalayan households are dependent on both the agriculture and dairy industries, according to Dr. Vijay Kumar D., IAS, Commissioner & Secretary of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare. He brought up the state’s recent achievements in fruit exports to both domestic and foreign markets, with a focus on pineapples and oranges. Twelve metric tonnes of pineapples were flown out of the state this year and sold at different Mother Dairy locations. “With their outlets across the country, we have seen the success of this partnership and foresee the potential to expand our collaboration in selling and processing our produce, as well as in value chain management for various crops, particularly fruits, and vegetables,” he stated.
Both short- and long-term objectives
Three project teams have been proposed to handle important priority areas with joint committees from Mother Dairy and the Government of Meghalaya to meet the short-term goals of exporting mandarins, ginger, and pineapples. One team will work to improve the supply chain to guarantee the appropriate harvest stage and appropriate transportation techniques to preserve the unique Meghalaya flavor, to match taste to consumer preferences in the Delhi market. Building the ‘Meghalaya Brand Product portfolio, highlighting its unique selling characteristics in the Delhi market, investing in media and point-of-sale, and organizing awareness campaigns would be the responsibility of a different team. The third team will look for both short- and long-term commercial partnership opportunities, find new products, and use business insights to do research and development (R&D) on current items.
What Mother Dairy Does
Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd.’s managing director, Shri Manish Bandlish, emphasized how important NDDB is in helping to close the gap that exists between farmers and customers. “This partnership demonstrates our endeavors to link India’s heterogeneous farming legacy with metropolitan clientele, providing an array of superior produce from various regions to discriminating consumers both domestically and internationally,” he stated. Regarding the tremendous reception that the Meghalayan pineapples at the Safal stores in Delhi received, Shri Bandlish said that other Meghalayan pineapple types, like ginger, Lakadong turmeric, and GI-tagged Khasi Mandarin, would be added to this program.
East Khasi Hills Milk Union visit
While at the East Khasi Hills Milk Union, dignitaries discussed the expansion of the dairy industry in Meghalaya as well as potential areas for future cooperation to advance regional dairy projects. The visit demonstrated the dedication to bolstering the dairy industry and making sure its growth is in line with the requirements of regional farmers.
Round Table Conversation
To examine the possibilities and extent of upcoming projects resulting from the collaboration, a round table discussion was arranged. Potential projects were also explored during the conversation, including creative farming methods and approaches to expanding and gaining access to markets. The conversation focused on how crucial it is to maintain innovation and constant cooperation in order to meet the partnership’s long-term objectives.
An important step towards improving Meghalaya’s agriculture industry is the Memorandum of Understanding between NDDB Mother Dairy and the Meghalaya State Agriculture Marketing Board. This collaboration, which will support farmers, increase market accessibility, and promote organic products, is expected to have a significant positive impact on the state’s agricultural sector. As the partnership develops, It is anticipated to establish a standard for comparable programs in other areas and open the door for more substantial breakthroughs.
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