Guwahati: Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma inaugurated a Jackfruit Techno Incubation Centre, which will help in developing high-value jackfruit products.

The Techno Incubation Centre Shillong is one of the two Incubation Centres under the Government’s Mission Jackfruit that is being set up in the State. The Government is also in the process of setting up a Techno Incubation Centre at the College of Community Science, Tura.

Sangma said that the Mission mode programs of the government are aimed at promoting sustainable rural and urban livelihood and helping farmers realize increased income through value addition and access to better markets.

‘The Jackfruit Mission was (initiated) to ultimately make sure that the farmers are able to use the product in a constructive manner…and get value out of the Rs.500 crore worth of Jackfruit that was going to waste…Until and unless we can’t convert those products into things that are sellable and make something more out of something we already have, it's going to be useless’, he said.

The Chief Minister also stressed the role of agri-entrepreneurs as a link in the process of value addition and finding lucrative markets for the finished products.

"We need to connect the different programmes that are happening. We cannot allow them to
work in silos and we need to ensure that we are able to connect the processes together so that we actually achieve something, and the farmers gain something" he said.

The Chief Minister also emphasized the need to encourage eateries and restaurants to source
local products to promote them.