Horticulture Minister of Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, Gabriel D Wangsu, on Saturday, stressed the need to strengthen market linkages for large cardamom growers to ensure transparent trade and better price realization for farmers.
The minister said this while inaugurating the significant cardamom productivity award program over the past four years, along with buyer-seller meet organized by Spices Board India here.
The program was attended by more than 250 spice growers, including members of farmer production companies and farmer producer organizations from Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya.
An official statement said that about 35 spice exporters from different parts of the country participated in the event.
Congratulating the award-winning farmers, Wangsu praised their dedication and disciplined agricultural practices, noting that the adoption of scientific orchard management has helped improve the productivity and quality of large cardamoms in the region.
He said the achievements of these farmers will motivate others to adopt improved agricultural practices.
Highlighting the importance of buyer-seller meeting, the minister said the initiative will facilitate direct interaction between farmers and buyers, thus strengthening market linkages.
He encouraged buyers to cooperate with farmer groups and producer organizations to establish reliable purchasing arrangements that would ensure stable income for farmers.
Wangsu also highlighted the state government’s commitment to strengthening the spice value chain, noting that efforts are underway to build a reliable and quality-based ecosystem for spice production and marketing.
He urged farmers and farmer-producer organizations to maintain proper documentation, adopt simple digital tools and coordinate with field officials to enhance transparency and creditworthiness.
The Minister stressed the need for environmental sustainability and called for maintaining soil health, wise water management and adopting climate-resistant agricultural practices in spice cultivation.
Cardamom is one of the most important and highly valued spice crops in the North-East region, providing a major source of livelihood for farming communities. Initiatives such as the Productivity Awards encourage farmers to adopt improved varieties, good agricultural practices and scientific farming methods.
The buyers-sellers meet also provided a platform for growers, traders, exporters and other stakeholders to interact, exchange ideas and explore new market opportunities, which is expected to strengthen market linkages and support sustainable growth of the spice sector in the region.
Officials said the event reflects the Spice Board of India’s ongoing commitment to promoting sustainable spice cultivation, strengthening market linkages and enhancing farmers’ incomes while strengthening India’s position in the global spice trade.
This article was generated from an automated news feed without any modifications to the text.
