The first edition of three-day North East Food Show concluded with the Chief Ministers’ Conclave in Shillong on Friday.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma chaired the conclave.
It was attended by Tripura CM Biplab Deb, Arunachal CM Pema Khandu, Sikkim tourism minister BS Pant, union sports minister Kiren Rijiju along with a host of other dignitaries.
Speaking on the occasion Conrad Sangma said the first edition of the North East Food Show witnessed 250 exhibitors, B2B discussions and training programmes.
“Response to homemade and fruit-made wine has been great,” Sangma said.
“The government is looking forward to coming up with a policy to regulate winemaking so that both the farmers and entrepreneurs could benefit,” the Meghalaya CM added.
The Meghalaya CM also announced the North East Food Show will be an annual calendar event.
“The second North East Food Show will be held from November 26 to 28, 2020,” Sangma said and hoped that it would take the food sector and all stakeholders to new heights.
Speaking on the occasion Rijiju said, “Food is crucial to human civilization and the identity of the people is associated with the food of the place.”
“Food from the Northeast is healthy and organic. Within the region the food business is huge providing attractive career options on a sustainable basis,” Rijiju added.
“Northeast needs to look at the quality and not the quantity of food produced to make food and food processing a part of the economic growth of the region,” he suggested.
Tripura CM Biplab Deb called for concerted and integrated efforts from all the eight Northeastern states for a transformative change in the food industry.
“Each state is well known for a particular fruit or food habit, and that can be taken advantage of,” Deb said.
Arunachal CM Pema Khandu said as Northeast is primarily an agrarian economy, hence the region should focus more on it.