A state level seminar and market linkage programme on spices was held at Town Hall, Dimapur on March 25 with the aim to promote high-value spices such as large cardamom and GI-tagged Naga King Chilli. (Morung Photo)
Dimapur, March 25 (MExN): A state level seminar and market linkage programme on spices was held at Town Hall, Dimapur, Nagaland on March 25. As per the DIPR report, the programme was organized by the Spices Board India under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, with the objective of promoting spice cultivation and strengthening market linkages in the North Eastern region.
The programme aimed to promote high-value spices such as large cardamom and GI-tagged Naga King Chilli (Bhut Jolokia), while also creating opportunities for direct trade linkages between farmers and buyers across the country.
The technical session featured presentations on turmeric production and market insights, prospects and challenges of Naga King Chilli, and market potential and trends for ginger products. Experts from the Spices Board shared insights to help farmers and stakeholders enhance production and access better markets.
The special guest, Razouvollie Dozo, NCS, Additional Secretary, Horticulture, addressing the gathering, said that despite years of discussions and deliberations, market linkages in Nagaland continue to remain weak and largely unstructured across various crops including spices, cereals, fruits, and vegetables. “While the state has favourable soil, suitable climatic conditions, and hardworking farmers, the real challenge lies not in production but in marketing and creating sustainable market systems,” he observed.
He pointed out that small landholdings often result in low volume production, making it difficult to meet larger market demands. He further stressed the need to focus on key areas such as quality control, export standards, and proper post-harvest handling practices. According to him, “farmers alone cannot address these challenges, and there is a need for collective efforts involving government departments, entrepreneurs, buyers, and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).”
Emphasising the importance of youth participation, Dozo said, “young entrepreneurs can play a vital role in strengthening market linkages by engaging in aggregation, sorting, grading, value addition, and marketing of agricultural produce.” He noted that with proper skill development and capacity building, youth can transform agriculture into a viable and attractive livelihood option.
He also highlighted the lack of infrastructure for value addition, recalling instances where farmers suffered losses due to price drops and absence of processing facilities. “In some cases, middlemen benefitted significantly by reselling local produce outside the state at much higher prices, indicating missed opportunities for local stakeholders.”
Calling for better coordination among departments and stakeholders, he remarked that many agencies are currently working in silos without adequate convergence. He said the seminar provides an important platform for interaction among farmers, buyers, government officials, and organisations like the Spices Board to jointly address existing gaps.
He further emphasised the need to strengthen FPOs, improve post-harvest management, develop infrastructure, and establish direct linkages between farmers and export markets. Concluding his address, Dozo underscored the importance of youth empowerment and skilling as key drivers for building strong and sustainable market linkages in the state.
Dr Cressida Jamir, Deputy Director of Agriculture, noted that Nagaland still lacks a structured market system despite years of discussion. While the state has a favourable climate, fertile soil, and hardworking farmers, she said the main challenges are volume, quality, and market access—not production. Fragmented landholdings make it difficult to meet large-scale demand.
She stressed the need to strengthen FPOs and involve youth and entrepreneurs in aggregation, grading, value addition, and marketing. Poor post-harvest handling and infrastructure, she added, affect quality and pricing, citing instances where farmers had to discard ginger due to low returns.
Dr Jamir called for youth empowerment, better coordination among departments, and collective efforts to improve market linkages and connect farmers to wider markets, including exports.
Rituraj Hazarika, Chief General Manager, M Junction, spoke on strategies for spice marketing in the North East. He highlighted that M Junction’s strategy for spice marketing in North East India focuses on digital empowerment through e-auctions and direct market linkages.
He stated that by partnering with the Spices Board, the initiative aims to connect local farmers directly with national buyers, ensuring transparent pricing, eliminating middlemen, and improving farmers’ income and market access.
The welcome address was delivered by Dr Dwijendra Mohan Barman, Deputy Director (Development), Spices Board with vote of thanks by Sam Sing Taro, Officer-in-Charge, Spices Board, Dimapur.
