North East Food Show begins in Meghalaya

The North East Food Show, which aims at providing platform for the entrepreneurs and farmers of the North Eastern States access to international markets began here in Meghalaya on Thursday.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and his Sikkim counterpart Prem Singh Tamang jointly inaugurated the North East Food Show at Polo Grounds.
Meghalaya in collaboration with SIAL, world’s No. 1 Food Innovation Network, had organised the first event in the State in 2019. This is the second edition of the mega food exhibition show where buyers and sellers from different parts of the region and South East Asian nations are participating.
“North EastFood Show has given a platform for the entrepreneurs and farmers of the State and the North East access to international markets,” Sangma said at the second edition of the North East Food Show
Noting that Meghalaya alone might be able to produce for a buyer in the international market, Sangma said, “We are trying to expand and reach out to the South East Asian countries as well.”
Terming Vietnam as ‘shining example’ in the food processing sector globally, the Meghalaya Chief Minister said, the North Eastern States as a region together can become a global platform and work together to market the products.
“The way the Vietnam government, the country and the people of Vietnam have transformed and become an enterprising nation, a nation driven by entrepreneurs, where the government plays the role of policymaker. I think Vietnam is one country which I have deep respect for, and I feel we can learn a lot from them,” he said.
Underscoring the need of farmers to come together under a cooperative movement to increase their productivity and cater to the market demands, Sangma said Sangma said the government is making all-out effort to bring the producers together through different plans and missions.
As part of this endeavour, he said that over the past few years the state government has assisted in creation of Self Help Groups (SHG) and also undertaken various mission mode programmes.
Sangma informed that from 3000 SHGs the state now has over 35000 SHGs. Moreover the state government has undertaken the production of ginger, piggery, honey, jackfruit, dairy and various other farm products under mission mode.
“We have earmarked close to Rs. 1000 crore for these mission mode programmes,” he informed.
Lauding Chief Minister Sangma for conceptualising the North East Food Show that promotes farmers and agripreneurs and entrepreneurs from across the region, Sikkim Chief Minister Tamang said that the event will go a long way in promoting the agri-horti products of Northeast.
Sikkim is a participating State in the Northeast Food Show.
“North East is blessed with rich agro diversity. Through this show, different States of the region will be able to share their agriculture experience and collaborate for the progress of our great nation,” Tamang said.
He also lauded efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the thrust for the progress and development of the Northeastern region.
During the food show, a large number of products were on display and sale from the state and other parts of the region.
There were several foreign delegates present to witness the event notably from Vietnam’s Ambassador to India, Pham Sanh Chau, Ambassador, Ikko Watanabe, First Secretary to the Embassy of Japan in India, Ram Prasad Subedi, Charge d’ Affaires, Embassy of Nepal in India, Marcela Alejandra Zuniga Alegria, Trade Commissioner of Chile in India, Tomasz Janczak, Second Secretary, Agriculture Affairs, Political, Economic Section, Embassy of Poland in India and others.