Mission Golden Spice Launched for Lakadong Turmeric

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The Union DoNER Minister recently launched Mission Golden Spice with a total budget of ₹175.45 crore.
This 5-year initiative builds a farm-to-global-market ecosystem for Meghalaya's GI-tagged Lakadong turmeric.

Its official title is the Integrated Lakadong Turmeric Value Chain Enhancement Project, running from 2025 to 2030.
It functions as part of the central government's USP initiative under the broader Ashtalakshmi strategy.

The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and the North Eastern Council (NEC) serve as anchor bodies.
The Government of Meghalaya is implementing the project across the state.

The mission aims to double turmeric farmers' earnings from ₹30-40/kg to ₹80/kg by 2030.
It works to minimize post-harvest losses and establish modern processing facilities in the region.
It aims to position Lakadong turmeric as a key export item in the US, EU, Japan, and Gulf countries.

Phase 1 focuses on value chain infrastructure, cold chains, and processing, while Phase 2 targets commercial expansion and exports.
The cultivated area will grow from 2,500 hectares to 7,000 hectares to reach an annual output of 49,400 metric tonnes by 2030.
Funding is split between MDoNER/NEC (50%), Ministry of Agriculture (33.1%), and Government of Meghalaya (16.9%).
It builds the region's largest organic processing facility in Meghalaya to extract high-value curcumin locally.
The project supports over 17,500 households in West and East Jaintia Hills, where women make up 99% of processing workers.
It incorporates blockchain tools and digital tracking to safeguard the GI status against counterfeit products.