“Bharat’s Northeast Can Become the Country’s Next Agricultural Hotspot”, GoaChronicle, 28 Sep 2026.

“For decades, India has looked at the Northeast primarily through the prisms of geography, security, connectivity and strategic importance. That understanding is changing. The eight states of the Northeast must increasingly be viewed through another prism: their potential to emerge as one of India’s most important centres for high-value agriculture, horticulture, organic produce, food processing and agricultural exports.

The opportunity is considerable. But it would be a mistake to imagine the Northeast competing with Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh by replicating the agricultural models developed elsewhere in India. Its strength lies precisely in being different.

The Northeast should not aspire to become another conventional foodgrain belt. It can become India’s high-value agricultural belt.

Its climatic diversity, relatively low chemical intensity in several farming systems, indigenous crop varieties, horticultural wealth and proximity to Southeast Asian markets create conditions for a fundamentally different agricultural strategy. The future lies in organic and naturally grown produce, fruits, spices, medicinal and aromatic plants, specialty rice, bamboo-linked industries, floriculture and processed foods.

There is already a substantial foundation on which to build.

As of May 2026, approximately 2.36 lakh hectares had been brought under the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region, or MOVCDNER, benefiting nearly 2.70 lakh farmers. The programme had received financial releases of about ₹1,492 crore and supported the formation of 479 Farmer Producer Organisations………”

Read the full article at GoaChronicle.