Meghalaya starts curcumin extraction from Lakadong turmeric

Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Konrad K. Sangma on Tuesday said his government has started extracting curcumin from Lakadong turmeric, the first in the entire Northeast.
He said that the extraction process was “indigenous” and that better technology would be introduced in the future, which is universally accepted.
Earlier, curcumin was extracted through a few private laboratories in Bangalore and elsewhere. The extracted chemical commands a premium price both at home and abroad.
The government will procure state-of-the-art equipment and ensure that Meghalaya’s products find their market globally, the chief minister said at the Lakadong Festival, which is being held for the first time in Laskein , in the western Jaintia Hills district.
As part of the Lakadong Mission, the Chief Minister handed over turmeric washing and polishing machines to four Lakdong Farming Societies identified by the Meghalaya Farmers’ (Empowerment) Commission. He also inaugurated the Collective Marketing Centers in Thadmothlong, Shangpung and Laskein Mowtyrshiah under the Lakadong Mission.
Addressing a gathering of Lakadong turmeric farmers in the district, the Chief Minister said that the Lakadong Festival was the culmination of a journey that started four years ago when concerns were being raised about the difficulties faced by Lakadong turmeric farmers.
He also said that the departments work in silos without coordination with each other and the officers and departments work on a scheme based basis which does not require result or output.
He further said that the target farmers should be trained to increase their productivity and increase their income.
The Chief Minister further said that in the last few years the government has tried to shift the target of the department towards a broader objective which is the welfare of the farmers by increasing the production and thus increasing the income.
Therefore, we felt that Lakadong Turmeric needed to focus on a mission mode approach and a whole value chain that would help farmers grow seeds, train them in product care, processing, packaging and marketing. Begins The Chief Minister said that all these measures are important for the farmers and the job of the government is to ensure that we look at the whole spectrum and help the farmers.
He added that when Meghalaya celebrates its Diamond Jubilee, the state should be in the list of top 10 states in the country in terms of its GSDP.