Arunachal: Wangsu calls for regional approach to NE’s agri-horti development

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Agriculture Minister Gabriel D. Wangsu of Arunachal Pradesh presented a comprehensive strategy for agricultural and horticultural development in Northeast India during the High-Level Task Force (HLTF) meeting held virtually today.

The HLTF on Agriculture and Horticulture, formed in January 2025 following decisions made at the 72nd Plenary of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in December 2024, brought together key regional leaders including Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang as Convenor and Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Minister Wangsu, representing Arunachal Pradesh as a member of the task force, emphasized the need for a regionally-specific approach to agricultural development.

“A North East-centric dialogue and way forward must be designed out of today's deliberation,” said Wangsu, highlighting the region's unique social, demographic, and climatic characteristics. The Minister identified several critical challenges facing the Northeast's agricultural sector, including low marketable volume, infrastructure gaps in processing and storage, weak market linkages, and technical knowledge deficits. These factors contribute to significant post-harvest losses and limited market access for farmers. Wangsu proposed focusing on high-value crops such as oranges, pineapples, persimmon, kiwi, large cardamom, turmeric, ginger, Khamti rice, and buckwheat, which he noted offer excellent domestic and international market potential.

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