Jyotiraditya M. Scindia Participates in the Meeting of High-Level Task Force on Strengthening Agriculture & Horticulture Value Chains and Market Linkages in the North East Region

**Executive Summary** The Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, participated in a High-Level Task Force Meeting convened by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Sikkim in New Delhi on December 24, 2025. The meeting focused on strengthening agriculture and horticulture value chains and market linkages in the North Eastern Region (NER), aiming to enhance farmer income through end-to-end value chain integration and cluster-based development. The meeting also discussed the importance of clear, measurable, and sustainable outcomes and the reduction of inefficiencies across the value chain. **Key Points / Main Content** * **Meeting Focus:** * Strengthening agriculture and horticulture value chains and market linkages in the North Eastern Region (NER). * Enhancing farmer income through end-to-end value chain integration and cluster-based development. * Product Specialisation, Quality and Market Differentiation as the Core Strength of NER Agri-Horti Products. * **Key Discussion Points:** * Addressing key gaps in the value chain and market linkages across the NER. * Strengthening the agri-horti ecosystem by leveraging the region's inherent strengths. * Systematically diagnosing existing bottlenecks across the production, post-harvest, processing, marketing, and logistics segments of the value chain. * Prioritizing interventions and designing suitable investment mechanisms. * Reducing post-harvest losses and lowering marketing and logistics costs. * Charting a clear roadmap from foundational interventions to full-scale value chain integration. * Developing a strategic infrastructure map to support export readiness. * Recognizing priority commodities for each State. * Promoting cluster-based development for each identified product. * **Approach & Strategy:** * Adopting a blueprint-based approach, starting with one product and addressing its end-to-end value chain. * Developing short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans with product-wise targets and investment requirements. * Assessing the number of farmers engaged across the NER for every product. * Evaluating how farmers would benefit on a product-wise and state-wise basis. * Measuring the resulting increase in farmers' incomes. * **HLTF's Reaffirmation:** * A focused, product-specific, and cluster-driven strategy would enable measurable and sustainable outcomes. * Strengthening market linkages, reducing inefficiencies across the value chain. * Ensuring long-term income enhancement for farmers across the NER. **Impact Analysis** **Stakeholder: Farmers in the North Eastern Region (NER)** * **Impact:** The initiatives aim to enhance their income, improve market access, and reduce post-harvest losses. * **Action Required:** To engage with the implemented interventions, improve product quality, and participate in cluster-based development initiatives. **Stakeholder: State Governments of the NER** * **Impact:** Required to support the development of agriculture and horticulture, develop strategic infrastructure and assist with export readiness. * **Action Required:** To recognize priority commodities, promote cluster-based development, and align with the national strategy for the agriculture and horticulture sector in the NER. **Stakeholder: Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER)** * **Impact:** Responsible for overseeing the implementation of the strategy and facilitating coordination between various stakeholders. * **Action Required:** To monitor progress, identify bottlenecks, and ensure effective implementation of the initiatives.

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