Shillong, March 29: The College of Community Science under Central Agricultural University, Tura, has introduced a farmer-friendly strawberry jam processing technology that eliminates artificial colours and chemical preservatives.
The initiative, aligned with the growing demand for clean-label foods, aims to position Meghalaya’s fruit products within a fast-expanding market for natural and minimally processed foods.
The programme was rolled out through a three-day post-validation training held from March 25 to 27 under the PRIME Meghalaya Rural initiative, aimed at converting research innovations into viable rural enterprises.
Coordinated by Priyadarshani P. Mohapatra under the guidance of Jyoti V. Vastrad, the programme trained farmers in simple, standardised processing techniques using locally available resources—removing the need for expensive infrastructure or synthetic additives.
Participants received hands-on exposure to jam preparation, standardization, quality control, and natural preservation methods. The developed product leverages optimized thermal processing and ingredient balance to extend shelf life, offering a clean-label alternative to conventionally preserved jams.
The intervention addresses a key challenge in Meghalaya, where large volumes of perishable fruits such as strawberries are often lost due to limited storage, weak market access, and inadequate processing infrastructure. By enabling value addition at the farm level, the initiative helps convert seasonal surplus into shelf-stable, marketable products while improving income opportunities.
The training is also expected to support farmers, self-help groups, and rural entrepreneurs in setting up micro-scale processing units, creating new livelihood avenues beyond the sale of raw produce. Designed for local adaptability, the technology aligns with the region’s climatic conditions and small-scale production systems, making it suitable for decentralized rural enterprises.
Officials at Central Agricultural University, Tura, said the initiative strengthens efforts to bridge the gap between farmers and markets by enabling commercialization-ready products, with potential linkages to local and niche urban markets where demand for natural, artisanal foods is rising.
The model, they added, can be replicated across other fruit crops in the Northeast, paving the way for region-specific clean-label value addition.
Also Read: Assam Polls: Congress bets big on cash aid, health cover in 5-guarantee manifesto
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
