Itanagar, Apr 7: Agriculture minister Gabriel D Wangsu on Monday presented a comprehensive strategy for agricultural and horticultural development in the Northeast at a virtual meeting of the High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on Agriculture and Horticulture.
The HLTF was constituted in January 2025 following decisions taken at the 72nd Plenary of the North Eastern Council (NEC) held in December 2024. The task force is convened by Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and includes Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Representing Arunachal as a member of the task force, Wangsu stressed the need for a region-specific approach to address agricultural challenges in the Northeast.
"A North East-centric dialogue and way forward must be designed out of today's deliberation," he said, citing the region's unique social, demographic and climatic characteristics.
Wangsu flagged several critical issues plaguing the farm sector in the region, such as low marketable volume, poor infrastructure in processing and storage, weak market linkages, and limited technical know-how, which he said have contributed to high post-harvest losses and restricted market access.
He proposed a focus on high-value crops such as oranges, pineapples, persimmon, kiwi, large cardamom, turmeric, ginger, Khamti rice and buckwheat, noting their potential in both domestic and international markets. He suggested the creation of crop-specific agricultural clusters to generate higher marketable volumes.
Emphasising the need for a collective regional strategy, Wangsu called for the establishment of a "Northeast-centric cold chain mechanism", instead of isolated state-level initiatives.
"Cold chain infrastructure cannot be a standalone or state-specific subject," he said.
The minister also sought continued support for the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCD-NER), describing it as "one of the most successful central sector schemes". He, however, expressed concern over its current implementation under the Krishi Unnati scheme, citing low fund utilisation.
Pushing for improved market connectivity, Wangsu recommended setting up a North-East Export Promotion Council to help position the region’s products in ASEAN and SAARC markets. He also urged implementation of the KRISHI UDAN scheme and establishing APEDA-accredited export pack houses at key airports in the region.
Other suggestions included integrating local markets with the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), promoting agro-tourism, creating a Northeast region market hub in Delhi, and increasing the participation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).
The task force is expected to hold a physical follow-up meeting to finalise a detailed roadmap, officials said.
