Agriculture & Spice Plantations

Challenges

Challenges:

• Limited Land Availability: Hilly terrain restricts the expansion of cultivable land.
• Soil Erosion and Declining Fertility: Particularly an issue with traditional jhum cultivation.
• Market Access and Infrastructure: Hilly terrain and inadequate road connectivity hinder the transportation of produce to markets, leading to post-harvest losses and distress selling.
• Post-Harvest Losses: Lack of proper storage, cold chains, and processing facilities results in significant wastage. The government is addressing this by building cold storages (44 built, 87 under construction) and pack houses (202 built).
• Low Mechanization: Limited use of modern farm machinery due to topography and small landholdings.
• Climate Change Impact: Changes in rainfall patterns and temperatures pose threats to agricultural production.
• Dependence on Food Imports: Meghalaya relies heavily on food imports, leading to higher food inflation.
• Limited Value Addition: Most produce is sold in raw form, limiting income potential for farmers.