Centre Launches ₹175 Crore Mission to Boost Meghalaya’s Lakadong Turmeric

The Centre has launched Mission Golden Spice, a ₹175.45-crore initiative to transform Meghalaya's world-famous GI-tagged Lakadong turmeric into a globally competitive product while increasing farmers' incomes through better processing, branding and market access. The five-year programme, running from 2025 to 2030, will focus on strengthening the entire turmeric value chain instead of limiting support to cultivation alone.

Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia launched the mission alongside Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, describing it as a major step towards unlocking the state's agricultural potential and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for thousands of farming families.

Focus shifts from farming to complete value chain

Anchored by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and the North Eastern Council (NEC), the mission brings together multiple central ministries and organisations, including the Ministries of Agriculture, Food Processing Industries and Commerce, along with APEDA, the Spices Board, the National Turmeric Board, ICAR, MeitY, NABARD, SFAC and the Meghalaya Government.

The project will be implemented in two phases. The first will strengthen processing, storage, branding and market systems, while the second will expand cultivation and scale up production. Officials said the goal is to build an integrated ecosystem that allows farmers to benefit from higher-value products rather than selling raw turmeric.

MDoNER Secretary Nivedita Shukla Verma said Lakadong turmeric contains 7 to 10 per cent curcumin, far above the global average, giving it strong demand in the nutraceutical and health sectors. She noted that limited processing facilities, weak infrastructure, poor branding and inadequate market linkages have prevented farmers from earning the premium prices their produce deserves.

Farmers' income and exports expected to grow

Addressing the gathering, Scindia said the mission reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of promoting one unique product from each northeastern state under the "Ashtalakshmi" development approach. He pointed out that Lakadong turmeric's curcumin content is nearly four times the world average and said it had recently attracted international attention after being showcased by the Prime Minister during the G7 Summit.

The Minister said the mission aims to nearly double farmers' earnings from around ₹30–40 per kilogram to nearly ₹80 per kilogram by 2030. The area under Lakadong turmeric cultivation is also expected to expand from approximately 2,500 hectares to 7,500 hectares during the project period.

He also highlighted the important contribution of women, who play a central role in cultivating, processing and marketing the crop across Meghalaya.

Processing, branding and women-led enterprises at the centre

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the mission builds on years of work by farmers and state agencies and creates a complete model that can later be replicated for other Meghalaya products such as pineapple, ginger, jackfruit, honey and mushrooms. He remarked that repeated attempts to grow Lakadong turmeric outside Meghalaya had resulted in lower curcumin levels, reflecting the unique qualities of the state's soil and climate.

Agriculture Minister Timothy D. Shira described Lakadong turmeric as a symbol of Meghalaya's culture and indigenous farming traditions. He said the mission will establish the Northeast's largest integrated organic turmeric processing and curcumin extraction facility while placing women at the centre of farmer institutions and value-chain enterprises.

Farmers from East and West Jaintia Hills also shared their experiences during the launch, saying the programme would help create better market opportunities and higher incomes while strengthening the identity of Lakadong turmeric as a premium organic product.