SHILLONG: The Centre on Tuesday officially launched Mission Golden Spice, a ₹175.45-crore initiative dedicated to transforming Meghalaya’s unique, Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged Lakadong turmeric into a globally recognized premium product.
The Integrated Lakadong Turmeric Value Chain Enhancement Project was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, alongside Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.
Scheduled to run from 2025 to 2030, the mission will roll out in two distinct phases: initially focusing on strengthening the local value chain, followed by rapid expansion and scale-up.
The ‘Ashtalakshmi’ Vision
Anchored by MDoNER and the North Eastern Council (NEC), the mission acts as a convergence point for multiple central ministries and agencies, including APEDA, the Spices Board, ICAR, and NABARD.
Minister Scindia described the initiative as a direct expression of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader “Ashtalakshmi” strategy to foster an “Atmanirbhar North East.” By identifying and promoting a unique flagship product from each of the eight northeastern states, the government aims to leverage the region’s comparative agricultural advantages.
“Lakadong turmeric contains 7–10 per cent curcumin, nearly four times the global average, making it one of the world’s finest turmeric varieties with significant nutraceutical and export potential,” Scindia highlighted.
Key Mission Objectives
The mission outlines aggressive targets for the region’s turmeric sector by 2030:
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Income Doubling: Increase farmers’ earnings from the current ₹30–40 per kilogram to approximately ₹80 per kilogram.
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Acreage Expansion: Triple the cultivation area from 2,500 hectares to nearly 7,500 hectares.
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Infrastructure Development: Establish the Northeast’s largest integrated organic turmeric processing and curcumin extraction facility.
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Women’s Empowerment: Place women—who play a central role in turmeric cultivation and processing—at the heart of farmer institutions and value-chain enterprises.
Overcoming Structural Challenges
Despite its exceptional quality and the global spotlight it received when PM Modi showcased it at the recent G7 Summit, Lakadong turmeric farmers have historically struggled to realize premium incomes.
MDoNER Secretary Nivedita Shukla Verma pointed out that small farmers have been hindered by inadequate processing facilities, weak market linkages, and insufficient branding.
Mission Golden Spice seeks to dismantle these barriers by heavily investing in modern processing infrastructure, reducing post-harvest losses, improving cold chains, and promoting GI monetization.
Chief Minister Sangma noted the distinctiveness of the crop, explaining that repeated attempts to cultivate Lakadong turmeric outside of Meghalaya consistently resulted in lower curcumin content, proving the absolute necessity of the state’s unique agro-climatic conditions. He added that the successful execution of this model could eventually be replicated for other regional products, such as pineapples, ginger, and honey.
