Shillong, June 19: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman begins her two-day visit to Meghalaya today with the inauguration of the Northeast’s largest organic spice processing plant at Bhoirymbong in Ri Bhoi District. The landmark facility, established by the Eastern Ri Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company, is designed to process 10,346 metric tonnes of spices annually and is expected to directly benefit 5,500 organic farmers across the region.

The unit represents a major step in boosting value addition for Meghalaya’s organic agriculture sector by connecting farm output more effectively with commercial markets. Later in the day, Sitharaman will attend the inaugural session of the “Leveraging Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) in the North-Eastern States” Conference in Shillong, which will bring together Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries, and senior officials from across the Northeast to strengthen the impact of externally aided financing.

She will also preside over a ceremony at U Soso Tham Auditorium alongside Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, celebrating the state’s EAP journey and laying foundation stones for four transformative projects worth over ₹1,200 crore. These include the Meghalaya Logistics and Connectivity Improvement Project (MLCIP), the Meghalaya Ecotourism Infrastructure Development Project, the Integrated Ecotourism and Sustainable Agri-based Livelihood Development Project, and Phase II of Supporting Human Capital Development in Meghalaya.