DIMAPUR: A one day ‘Off Taker Meet 2026’ under the theme “Connecting producers, markets and technology for a stronger market ecosystem” was organised by ELEMENT Nagaland Project under SoCRAN at Hotel Vivor, Kohima, on October 7.
Delivering the keynote address, secretary, Industries & Commerce and Project Director, ELEMENT,Kumar Ramnikant, said Nagaland is recognised as a biodiversity household with rich flora, fauna, forests, farms, and community landscapes closely linked to people’s livelihoods.
He noted that products such as coffee, honey, large cardamom, Naga chilly, black rice, millets, medicinal plants, and wild fruits represent not only the state’s natural and cultural wealth but also serve as significant sustainable income generators.
He stressed the need to strengthen value chains that connect producers to markets, focusing on aggregation, decentralised coffee processing, centralised honey processing, quality certification, branding, and end to end enterprise development. He added that the project is leveraging stakeholder support to address gaps and challenges, emphasising that value chains succeed only when quality products reach reliable buyers at fair and viable prices.
Highlighting the gap between supply and market requirements, Ramnikant pointed out that producers need clarity on quality grades, certification, packaging, volumes, price benchmarks, delivery schedules, and presentation, while buyers require better visibility of Nagaland’s supply capacity in terms of volume and consistency.
He said the purpose of the meet was to create structured dialogue between producers and markets, with certification partners playing a crucial role since many products originate from community managed landscapes.
He also underlined the role of financial institutions in supporting working capital and investment requirements, calling for convergence around value chains to ensure coordinated government support and sustainable economic opportunities.
A PowerPoint presentation on Project ELEMENT & Off Taker Meet was delivered by C Value Chain Expert, ELEMENT, Amarjit Lahkar. The programme began with a welcome address by Dy. PD, ELEMENT, Kedino Zango (Chair), while the vote of thanks was proposed by Deputy Secretary, Agriculture, Chonpenthung Ezung. An awareness video titled “Project Awareness” by Dreamz Unlimited was also released during the programme.
