Meghalaya’s sweet orange ‘Khasi Mandarin’ exported to UAE

For the second time, Meghalaya’s sweet orange known as as Khasi Mandarin is being exported to Doha and Bahrain in to UAE. 

The Khasi Mandarin is produced by a group of orange farmers in Meghalaya’s South West Khasi Hills district. 

It may be mentioned that the, farmers of Jirang in Ri-Bhoi district had exported their oranges to Dubai earlier this month.

The mandarin was purchased and exported by a Dubai based Retail Chain, Lulu Group International having its Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It is a world-renowned purveyor of an international business portfolio that ranges from hypermarket operations to shopping mall development, manufacturing and trading of goods, hospitality assets, and real estate. The Lulu Group operates in 23 countries located across the Middle East, Asia, US, and Europe. Mr. Ravi Kumar, the General Manager of the Lulu Groups is their representative who coordinated today’s shipment.
The Flag Off ceremony is organised today by the Directorate of Horticulture, a State Lead Agency, where the dignitaries from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (INM Division) and APEDA graced the occasion virtually. Dr. A.K Yadav, Chief Adviser (MOVCDNER) Vinita Sudhanshu, Deputy General Manager of APEDA is flagging off virtually from Delhi office in presence of other officials along with officials from their Guwahati branch.

The Chief Guest felicitated the farmers and members of the Ardong Phlangwar Organic Producer Co-operative Society Ltd with a cheque showing the amount paid to the farmers for the 2 MT consignments taken from them. This was immediately followed by the address of the Chief Guest saying that the Government of Meghalaya is nurturing many organic FPCs and FPOs engaged in value chain development and requested the officers and farmers to work harder to increase the per capita income of the farmers. The Government of Meghalaya is for the farmers and working as a group should be the motto of the farmers. No single farmer cancompete the production and marketing alone.

The event ended with a high-spirited note from the inspired farmers group that they want to achieve more such milestones in the future, and this is just the beginning feat – like a dream come true to the struggled farmers.

The mandarin known for its nicheness, growing in hilly terrains of Meghalaya and with unique content of nutrients is all set to reach the aisles of UAE supermarkets in few days and take over the world with its sweet tanginess. 

This endeavour by the Directorate of Horticulture promises the local farmers a better value for their produce as well as an exposure to the global markets.