Shillong, Oct 29 Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Thursday said Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) offer significant opportunities for the state’s farmers, artisans and entrepreneurs to access global markets.
He was addressing a state-level outreach programme on FTAs here.
“The state government wants our farmers, artisans, entrepreneurs and young people to benefit from the opportunities created by the FTAs, and my department is committed to making that happen,” Dhar said.
Identifying horticultural produce, spices, ginger, turmeric, pineapple, honey, bamboo, handloom and handicrafts as key export sectors, he highlighted Meghalaya’s strategic location along the Bangladesh border and the importance of the Dawki Land Port in facilitating cross-border trade.
Dhar urged exporters to take advantage of the Centre’s Export Promotion Mission, approved in November 2025 with an outlay of Rs 25,060 crore up to 2030-31.
The initiative provides trade finance and other assistance to help businesses overcome barriers to entering overseas markets.
Highlighting the need to strengthen business linkages, he cited the Reverse Buyer Seller Meet 2.0, held on October 8 and 9, which brought together 30 international buyers from 16 countries, two national buyers and 400 sellers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from all 12 districts of the state. More than 100 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed, with business order negotiations underway.
Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce Kapil Chaudhary said India had signed around seven FTAs in the preceding five years, providing access to markets accounting for more than 75 per cent of global GDP.
Chaudhary highlighted 11 intervention areas under the Export Promotion Mission, including market access initiatives, transportation assistance, market intelligence studies and overseas warehousing, and encouraged businesses to use these measures to address logistical challenges.
Commissioner and Secretary of the state’s Commerce and Industries Department Cyril V D Diengdoh stressed the need for coordination among government agencies, financial institutions, Export Promotion Councils and Indian missions abroad to help local producers navigate international trade.
“A trade agreement is like a door that has been opened for us, but somebody has to walk through it,” Diengdoh said.
Dhar said the state action plan emerging from the workshop, along with district-level workshops to follow, must deliver tangible results.
“The State Action Plan that emerges from this workshop, and the district-level workshops that will follow, must lead to real export results,” he said.
The programme was organised by the Meghalaya government’s Commerce and Industries Department in collaboration with the Department of Commerce and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to familiarise exporters and entrepreneurs with FTA provisions, export promotion schemes and procedures for accessing overseas markets.
Participants included officials from DGFT, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Spices Board, Directorate of Horticulture and other government agencies and industry bodies.
(PTI News)
