Naginder Singh Kishor*
North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) Ltd, is a Government Enterprise under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER). The Company with an authorized capital of Rs 10.00 Cr and a paid up capital of only Rs 7.62 Cr has registered a sales turnover of Rs. 96 Cr during the just concluded fiscal year 2011-12 with a net profit of Rs 1 Cr.
NERAMAC is playing a significant role by intervening in the sourcing, procuring and marketing of cash crops like ginger, fresh pineapple, cashew nut, Kiwi fruits etc. from the farmers and growers of the North Eastern Region. Its role as a dynamic and vibrant marketing organization essentially to support farmers of North East has started showing visibility through its operations to sustain farmers’ interest in production by application of post harvest technology thereby arresting decline in prices arising from larger output of the farm produces and marketing.
It has also procured and marketed various other items such as turmeric, large cardamom, maize etc, input supplies like fertilizer, assorted seeds, planting materials, floriculture items etc. under the Horticulture Mission for North East & Hill States (HMNEHS) & National Horticulture Mission. It has tied up with reputed companies in the field of setting up of various Horticultural Projects like High-tech green house, tissue culture laboratory, supply of planting materials etc. besides its initiative in supporting tiny and small scale processors in marketing their end products. NERAMAC helped farmers in getting better price of their produce besides procurement of the same. The Corporation has initiated building linkages by tying up through MoU with different farmer’s Societies as well processed products manufacturers having FPO licenses. It has helped building confidence among farmers and producers for a better network of procurement through NERAMAC.
It has taken initiative in involving various stakeholder particularly private sector in the field of processing thereby playing a greater role to tap the market potential for Kiwi and Passion fruit. Linkage were initiated with Passion Fruit Growers Association of Manipur and for procurement of passion fruit from them to make end product with the help of private and women entrepreneurs and marketing them through NERAMAC. Similiarly, Kiwi fruit was introduced by sourcing them from Arunachal Pradesh by involving private entrepreneur group.
In order to support the large cardamom growers of Sikkim, NERAMAC has set up a Large Cardamom Auction Centre at Rongpo, Sikkim during the last fiscal. Large cardamom growers are getting immense benefit as it has given them edge in getting value for their produce. Traders from all over the country are coming and participating in this auction program which has given a fillip to the cardamom producers.
NERAMAC has also taken a lead in setting up a outlet at Siliguri Regulated market to make way for produces like oranges and other fresh produces. This has given a facelift to the farmers. Oranges from Wakro and Tezu of Arunachal Pradesh are coming to Assam.
The Company has hosted a series of programs in the North-East to scale up awareness among the budding agri-preneurs, inviting investment on food processing involving national institutes and organizations of repute and large business houses in agro- horticulture processing with the financial support of Ministry of Food Processing Industries & North Eastern Council.
It has organized North East Food Processing Expo, an exhibition for the fruit processors of North East followed with conference and buyers sellers meet at Guwahati during January 2012 where processors from all the North Eastern states participated. This initiative was organised for the first time with the financial support of the Ministry of DoNER.
NERAMAC in association with IIP, Mumbai, organised for the first time in the region, INDPACK 2012 at Maniram Dewan Trade Centre, Guwahati to support the first generation entrepreneurs of the North East in food processing and value addition. Two food processing entrepreneurs from each state of North East was taken to INDPACK 2011 atHyderabad to give them the knowledge and expertise in packaging with the support of North Eastern Council.
100 Orange farmers were taken to National Research Centre for Citrus at Nagpur, Maharastra for giving them exposure to better orange production technique & demonstration.
North East Connect program was organised to show case potential of north east atDelhi, Kolkata, Mumbai & Bengaluru seeking investment opportunities as well as create business opportunity for the naturally grown organic produces of North East.
For the first time, an initiative has been taken to set up kiosks at six Malls in the National Capital Region (NCR) Delhi to sell North East produces to the consumers of NCR Delhi. Outlets in the name N E Fresh are located at Shipra mall, EDM mall, Mahugana mall, Sab mall, Star City mall & TDI mall at NCR Delhi. This was followed with weeklong Mall festivals in the beginning.
Media & Communication Officer.
