Secretary, Industries & Commerce and Project Director, ELEMENT, Kumar Ramnikant inaugurates a food stall during the one-day ‘Off-Taker Meet 2026’ at Hotel Vivor, Kohima, on October 7. (DIPR Photo)
Kohima, October 7 (MExN): Nagaland needs stronger value chains and direct market linkages to help producers secure reliable buyers, fair prices and sustainable incomes, Secretary, Industries & Commerce and Project Director, ELEMENT, Kumar Ramnikant, said at the ‘Off-Taker Meet 2026’ in Kohima on October 7.
The one-day meet, organised by the ELEMENT Nagaland Project under SoCRAN, was held at Hotel Vivor under the theme “Connecting producers, markets and technology for a stronger market ecosystem.”
Addressing producer organisations and other stakeholders, Ramnikant said Nagaland’s coffee, honey, large cardamom, Naga chilli, black rice, millets, medicinal plants and wild fruits represented both the State’s natural and cultural wealth and potential sources of sustainable income.
He said the challenge was to strengthen the value chains connecting producers to markets, noting that a value chain succeeds only when quality products reach reliable buyers at fair and commercially viable prices.
He pointed to gaps between what producers can supply and what markets require, including clarity on quality grades, certification, packaging, volumes, pricing, delivery schedules and product presentation.
At the same time, buyers need better visibility of the volume, consistency and quality of products that Nagaland can supply, he said.
Ramnikant said the Off-Taker Meet was intended to create a structured dialogue between producers and markets and enable buyers to articulate their requirements. He also highlighted the role of certification partners in developing practical pathways for quality assurance, traceability and marketability, particularly for products originating from community-managed and traditional landscapes.
He called for greater convergence among government agencies, financial institutions, certification bodies, producer groups and enterprises to address working capital, investment and other value-chain requirements, State DIPR reported.
A presentation on Project ELEMENT and the Off-Taker Meet was made by C Value Chain Expert, ELEMENT, Amarjit Lahkar. An awareness video titled ‘Project Awareness’ by Dreamz Unlimited was also released.
