The Manipur government has launched a new initiative to develop Kangpokpi into a major turmeric production and processing hub as part of its efforts to strengthen the rural economy and promote sustainable agriculture in the state’s hill districts.
Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen on Thursday inaugurated a high-level workshop on Turmeric Cultivation and Value Chain Development at the SH-ADC Office in Kangpokpi. The programme was organised by the Office of the Deputy Chief Minister in collaboration with the Tribal Affairs and Hills Department and experts from CSIR-Jorhat.
The workshop focused on promoting turmeric cultivation as a sustainable livelihood option while creating an integrated value chain covering cultivation, processing, packaging, branding and marketing.
Addressing farmers, government officials and other stakeholders, Kipgen said turmeric has the potential to become a major source of economic growth in Manipur’s hill districts. She said the initiative is aimed at restoring livelihoods, improving rural resilience and creating stable income opportunities, particularly in areas affected by conflict.
“The initiative seeks to encourage farmers to move from illicit cultivation to legal and commercially viable agriculture while building a complete turmeric ecosystem that supports production, value addition and market access,” she said.
Officials said the programme is expected to improve farmers’ incomes by expanding market opportunities, promoting entrepreneurship and generating employment through agro-based industries and value-added processing.
The technical sessions were conducted by Dr Mohan Lal and Dr Jatin Kalita, Senior Principal Scientists from CSIR-Jorhat, who highlighted scientific methods to increase turmeric production through improved cultivation practices, quality processing techniques and market-oriented farming systems.
The workshop also included an interactive session where farmers and stakeholders shared their views and discussed practical challenges. Participants later deliberated on an implementation strategy, action plan and timeline for expanding turmeric cultivation across the hill districts.
