Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday stressed the importance of adopting organic farming in Northeast.
“Northeast with its fertile land, sufficient rainfall and rich biodiversity has the potential to capture the market of entire South-East Asia consisting of 800 million people,” Sonowal said.
He was speaking at the inaugural session of Northeast Regional Conference on Transformation of Indian Agriculture organised in Guwahati.
“Act East Policy has provided a great opportunity to the region for massive economic growth through the export of quality organic agricultural products,” Sonowal said.
“Assam government has taken up exhaustive plans to convert the state agriculture sector into organic farming,” he further said.
The CM also informed that the state’s vegetables and fruits have received a good response in the international market.
Citing Vietnam’s example, Sonowal said, “Three decades ago the country did not have a flourishing economy but in 30 years the country has achieved $34 million worth of yearly agricultural exports.”
“The country has been able to capture the world market through value addition of their agricultural products,” Sonowal said.
“Northeast Agri exports could capture the market of entire South East Asia by following such example,” he opined.
Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu, FICCI NEC chairman Ranjit Borthakur, chairman of Agricultural Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Paban Borthakur also spoke at the programme.