Nongpoh, Aug 17: In a major step towards uplifting the rural economy and promoting organic farming, an Integrated Processing Unit and Organic Outlet sanctioned for the FPC at Khapmara village of Bhoirymbong area in Ri Bhoi District, has been launched.
AITC legislator from Umroi Constituency George B Lyngdoh recently inaugurated the Integrated Processing Unit and the Organic Outlet sanctioned by the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North-eastern region (MOVCDNER) and the FPC under Phase-1 through the department of Horticulture at the sanctioned amount of Rs. 35 lakhs.
MOVCDNER, which is instrumental in bringing a definitive change in the lives of the organic growers in the region, provides end to end support to the farmers from farm to fork including quality production, effective postharvest management, value addition through processing and direct market linkages to national and international markets.
In Phase 1, 12 Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) have been formed for empowering the growers with institutional mechanisms, collective production and processing strength for quality and quantity and ensuring emergence of new breeds of organic agri enterprises.
Through the FPCs, farmers are achieving economies of scale, engaging bulk buyers and breaking off their dependencies on the traders/middlemen for market linkages. Under MOVCDNER, the FPCs get access to shared infrastructure including collection centres, custom hiring centres, processing infrastructure and packhouses, allowing them to add value to their produce and market them well. They are fully organic certified at present.
The Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company Ltd. was formed under the Government of India Scheme Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVEDNER) Phase-1, and was registered under the Ministry of Corporate affairs on 26th October, 2017 bearing registration no. U01100ML2017PTC013648. The FPC has 500 member farmers covering an area of 500 ha and 9 Nos. of villages namely Nongtarian, Umtung. Madan Nonglakhiat, Bangla (Nongtraw), Lumsohpieng. I umdaitkhla Khapmara. Mynsain, Pynthor, Umden Umbathiang. The main crop covered is Ginger which has attained Organic Status. The other organic intercrops are turmeric, beans, cabbage, chilli, maize and non-basmati rice.
Before the formation of FPC, the farmer had to sell their produce to local markets and local traders individually at a minimal rate which wasn’t up to their expectation. Most of them have no choice but to sell whatever price the buyer fixes due to lack of storage house and processing unit to keep their produce.
