World Food India 2024: Meghalaya Pavilion Shines at World Food India 2024, Showcasing Local Innovation and Diversity

Shillong: World Food India 2024, the mega food event, concluded on Sunday, after four days of exploring potentialities, fostering innovation, and building collaboration in the food sector, at the Pragati Maidan New Delhi.

The Meghalaya Pavillion, featuring the launch of Meghalaya Collectives, was a major highlight, attracting significant interest from leading food processing investors.

During this four-day event, the Meghalaya Pavillion witnessed fruitful meetings with renowned companies, exploring potential collaborations like ZEPTO, an online grocery delivery service that offers quick commerce, Big Basket, an online grocery store that delivers a wide range of products to customers in India, Lulu Group International, Emirati-based multinational conglomerate company that operates a chain of hypermarkets and retail companies, PepsiCo, an American multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation headquartered in New York, Patanjali Food, an Indian multinational Fast-moving consumer goods company specialized in the food industry, Mother Dairy, statutory body under the ownership of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, and National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL).

These interactions highlighted the interest in Meghalaya's food processing sector and market linkage for fresh and processed products from entrepreneurs and Meghalaya cooperatives, under Meghalaya Collectives.

Representatives from various states and countries visited the Meghalaya Pavilion, recognizing the state's growth potential in the food sector business.

Dignitaries who visited the Meghalaya Pavillion included Minister of Food Processing Industries, Chirag Paswan, and IAS Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, Dr Ashish Kumar Bhutani, where they appreciated the Meghalaya Collective initiative in particular.

Reena Nongrum, founder of Mewan Food Processing, shared her experience and said, "I am here today at the World Food India event in Delhi, and it's all thanks to the training I received from NABARD. This is my second time visiting Delhi; the first time was for the Saras Mela, and now I am here for World Food India, thanks to the support of the Directorate of Food Processing."

Nongrum said that as a fellow mother, she wants to send this message to all other mothers that they must work together to stand on their own two feet.

"Our state of Meghalaya is rich in natural resources, with an abundance of fruits, turmeric, and much more. By making use of these resources, our farmers will never face setbacks," she said.

Dawhoi Dhar, founder and entrepreneur of Naki, said, "I founded Naki to share Meghalaya's essence and flavours with the world. This event has been incredibly helpful, connecting us with foreign customers, potential investors, and stakeholders."

Dhar said that he gained insightful knowledge on branding, packaging, supply chain management, and how big companies operate.

Namshrang Ruddiee Diengdoh, owner and entrepreneur, Nongrep, sharing his experience, said,  "This B2B exhibition has generated leads from various countries and states. We got the chance to have interacted with potential investors from Belarus, Poland, Russia, Turkey, Japan, and other European countries. We're deeply grateful to the state government for this platform to showcase and market our local products, supporting Meghalaya's farmers."

The Meghalaya Collectives, an initiative of the Meghalaya government, showcased 20 exclusive brands and value-added products made from renowned Lakadong Turmeric, Khasi Mandarin, Kew Pineapple, Local Ginger, Cashew Nuts, and many other indigenous produces, moreover promoting farmer-producer organizations, rural entrepreneurship, and sustainable agriculture practices.

This innovative approach aims to enhance farmers' income, improve agricultural productivity, and promote Meghalaya's organic products.

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