Nagaland farmers eye new export opportunities at cooperative conclave

Nagaland’s agricultural cooperatives are set to tap into new domestic and international markets following the second day of the Nagaland Cooperative Conclave, held at the NBCC Convention Hall on November 19.

The event brought together key agencies, officials, and stakeholders to strengthen the cooperative movement in the state. Discussions focused on improving market access, institutional coordination, and export potential for Nagaland’s high-value agricultural products.

Pinky Basumatary, Project Officer of NERAMAC, highlighted initiatives to link farmers with better markets and reduce post-harvest losses. She also outlined the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Shahayata Yojana (PM-MKSSY), aimed at formalising the fisheries sector and supporting micro and small enterprises.

Joydev Roy, Business Department Manager of APEDA, stressed Nagaland’s export potential for crops such as king chili, tree tomato, ginger, persimmon, and pineapple. “Nagaland holds substantial export potential for these products in both domestic and international markets,” he said, adding that schemes and promotional events are available to support farmers and cooperatives.

Rituraj Singh, Business Manager of NCEL, highlighted India’s cooperative export ecosystem and urged greater participation from Nagaland, noting that over 15,000 cooperatives are already members nationwide.

The conclave also featured parallel sessions, including a panel discussion on “Navigating the Bottlenecks in Convergence – Strengthening Institutional Coordination and Policy Harmonisation”, and a B2B meeting that provided a platform for direct engagement between stakeholders and cooperative representatives.

Officials said the conclave marks a major step toward empowering farmers, boosting the state’s economy, and linking Nagaland’s cooperatives to national and international markets.

MT