Shillong: The Meghalaya Government will host the first-ever Meghalaya Spice Festival from January 30 to February 1 at the Jio World Drive, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai.
The festival aims to showcase the state’s premium spices and strengthen market access, value addition, and export linkages for farmers and producer enterprises.
The festival will connect FPOs, SHGs, cooperatives, and MSMEs from Meghalaya with buyers, exporters, retail chains, HoReCa players, nutraceutical brands, and institutional buyers. Officials said the event will position Meghalaya as a key source of high-quality, traceable, and sustainably produced spices.
Visitors will get a chance to explore the state’s leading spice products, including GI-tagged Lakadong turmeric, known for its high curcumin content, along with ginger, black pepper, bay leaves, cinnamon, and indigenous spice blends. These products highlight Meghalaya’s focus on natural and organic farming, quality certification, branding, and value addition.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, “Meghalaya’s strength lies in its farmers and the rich natural resources of our land. Through initiatives like the Meghalaya Spice Festival, we are creating direct market linkages for our organic produce. This enables farmers and producer groups to access national and global platforms. Our vision is to position Meghalaya as a hub for high-value, organic, and GI-tagged agricultural products, driven by quality, value addition, and entrepreneurship.”
The festival will feature B2B meetings, buyer–seller interactions, culinary demonstrations, and farmer-led storytelling. A Brand Meghalaya pavilion will showcase government initiatives in agriculture, livelihoods, and rural enterprise development.
Meghalaya Agriculture Minister Timothy Shira said, “The agriculture sector is the backbone of Meghalaya’s economy, and our farmers are at the heart of this transformation. The festival strengthens the entire value chain from production and processing to branding and marketing. By opening new markets and encouraging value addition, we aim to boost farmer incomes, improve economic security, and create resilient agri-based enterprises.”
Officials highlighted that hosting the festival in Mumbai, India’s commercial hub, will provide farmers direct access to national and international spice trade networks, processors, retailers, and exporters.
The initiative aligns with the state government’s mission to bring one lakh hectares under organic cultivation by 2028 and build sustainable spice value chains.
Cultural performances under the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (CM-MGMP) will add vibrancy to the festival. Organisers said the event will promote rural enterprises, enhance farmer income, and establish Meghalaya as a leading destination for premium spices