As curtains fell on the India International Trade Fair in New Delhi, a number of important players evinced keen interest in making forays into Meghalaya to tap its natural resources.
Official sources said the Pepsi Foods was interested in tapping spring water and officials of Siliguri-based Calypso sought to market the state’s pineapple.
There was possibility of ITC signing an MoU with the state government to procure state’s famous Lakadong turmeric considered to be the best in the world.
“The spice division of the ITC group has shown interest in procuring the famous Lakadong turmeric of Meghalaya, which is extensively grown in Jaintia and Garo hills. Just like the Raja chilly of Nagaland, the Lakadong turmeric is renowned internationally and the ITC group has expressed interest in procurement,” Chief Secretary Ranja Chatterjee said.
He said the state was examining the offer but in all probabilities representatives of the ITC and Spices Board would be in Meghalaya in a couple of days to ink a deal.
The ITC would also be aiding the farmers with technical expertise by introducing modern practices of cultivation. In another boost to the state’s agricultural sector,
Commerce Minister Jairam Ramesh is working with the agricultural ministry to extend 90 per cent subsidy in air-freight for goods transport to Kolkata and 50 per cent to Delhi and Mumbai.
This would be done while taking the produce as ‘deemed exports’, even if they are not actually exported, official sources in the state said.