Guwahati: The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the Northeast has the potential to emerge as India’s next engine of growth by leveraging its strengths in sustainable agriculture, premium organic produce and environmentally responsible development.
Speaking at inaugurating the Northeast’s largest organic spice processing plant of the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company Ltd. at Bhoirymbong in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district, Sitharaman said the region’s future lies in producing high-quality, trusted and traceable agricultural products rather than competing on volume.
“The future of agriculture increasingly belongs not to those who produce the most, but to those who produce the best, cleaner, more traceable, more trusted and more premium,” the Finance Minister said.
Highlighting Meghalaya’s growing reputation in the organic farming sector, she noted that the state enjoys a unique advantage in global markets due to the trust associated with its agricultural produce and traditional farming practices.
“The world is entering an age where trust commands a premium, and Meghalaya is uniquely positioned for this future because it possesses trust that is rooted in nature, community and generations of ecological knowledge,” she said.
Sitharaman stated Meghalaya’s expanding spice economy shows that economic growth and environmental conservation can go hand in hand. Showcasing the importance of sustainable development, she stressed that progress should not come at the expense of nature.
“We have to live and co-exist with nature,” she remarked.
Referring to India’s ambition of becoming a developed nation by 2047, Sitharaman said the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ requires the active participation of every community, with the Northeast playing a pivotal role in the country’s development journey.
“I want the country to say that the Northeast will lead all of India,” she said.
Nirmala Sitharaman also outlined a vision in which farmers, particularly women engaged in traditional agriculture, benefit from greater value addition and improved access to international markets.