At the "International Buyer Seller Meet & Spice Conclave" taking place here in Assam, farmers from Arunachal Pradesh took home four of the six awards for large cardamom production for the years 2019–20 and 2020–21.
Neelam Jeel (first prize, 2019-20); Ngurang Yame (second prize, women category, 2020-21); Joram Taemin (second prize, 2021-22); and Ashati Dele (first prize, 2020-21) are the farmers who got awards.
Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, inaugurated the two-day conclave, which will end today. The Spices Board India is hosting the event to increase the export of agricultural goods from the Northeast region.
Sarma noted in his remarks at the opening session that "India has emerged as the world's greatest producer, consumer, and exporter of large cardamom," adding that the Northeast "has garnered special attention, due to the quality of organic spices."
"In its 35 wonderful years of service to the nation, the Spices Board has become essential in the development, promotion, and regulation of spices production and trade in the country," said Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister Tage Taki, who was also present at the event.
He stated, "The Spices Board of India should build a 'spice park' in the state because Arunachal has evolved into one of the key spice-producing regions."
In addition, Taki emphasized the need for a "NE spices center" to be established in Guwahati and encouraged the Spices Board to "assist farmers by providing technology, value addition, and processing of spices."
To increase the state's output of spices, he also emphasized the necessity of creating a "spices development agency" in Arunachal.
According to Okit Palling, CEO of the Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board (APAMB), Arunachal Pradesh is now one of the Northeast's top producers of spices and is the nation's second-largest producer of large cardamom.
He declared that the APAMB would cooperate with the Indian Spices Board to increase the state's spice production even more.
