Shillong, April 12, 2024: The much-awaited celebration of Meghalaya’s flourishing
Strawberry fields and rich agro-tourism offerings, the Meghalaya Strawberry Festival
commenced today in different parts of the state. The inaugural ceremony of this two-day
vibrant celebration, aimed at spotlighting the luscious strawberries of the state, kicked off
with great enthusiasm and fervour.
This two-day extravaganza unfolded across different regions in Meghalaya, each offering a
unique blend of activities. Locations such as Sohliya, Umsning, Ri Bhoi District,
Iewpynsing, Nohron, East Khasi Hills District, Kynktieh, Syntung, East Khasi Hills
District, and Darechikgre, West Garo Hills District, welcomed visitors to participate and
immerse themselves in activities such as strawberry picking, cycling treks, live music,
cultural performances, amalgamated with a special workshop on local beverages, among
others.
Dr Vijay Kumar D., IAS, Commissioner and Secretary, Department of Tourism, stated
at a programme held in Sohliya that strawberries thrive in Meghalaya due to favourable
conditions and hardworking farmers. Additionally, he highlighted tourism as another
advantage. Festivals like the Strawberry Festival, by integrating tourism with strawberry
cultivation, thus aim to boost livelihoods and enterprises. He said that the strawberry
cultivation could be expanded from 25 to 100 acres next year and possibly to 500 acres if
market opportunities are tapped. This expansion is expected to significantly improve lives.
The village headman of Sohliya, Ostander Lyngkhoi, expressed his gratitude to Dr Vijay
Kumar for supporting and making this festival a success. Lyngkhoi is also a pioneer in the
cultivation of Strawberries, the first in the Northeast. It may be mentioned that Ri Bhoi
produces 2 to 3 tonnes of Strawberry production annually presently.
Meanwhile, speaking at one of the inaugural events at Syntung, Smt. Isawanda Laloo, IAS,
Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Department, expressed her gratitude to the
Sordar, the people, and especially the farmers for their hard work through which the
strawberries of the village has garnered recognition.
She said that it is the first time that the strawberry festival is being held at Syntung, stating
that the conditions for growing strawberries in the village are feasible, producing sweet and
juicy fruits. The strawberries grown in the village can change and enable growth prospects of
the entire village and region as the sales are growing exponentially and the farmers have
gained income. She stressed agro-tourism as the way forward being one of the ways to create
employment opportunities and hoped that in the coming years, the strawberry cultivation in
Syntung and in the whole state will improve and give more opportunities to farmers and Agri-
entrepreneurs.
At a separate programme, held in Nohron Smti. D. Sohtun, Director Horticulture Department
said that officers of the department provided training for strawberry cultivation. She urged the
farmers to not leave the strawberry cultivation if strawberry cultivation has given them the
much-needed earnings.
In Nohron, a Strawberry farmer Oscar Nongrum informed that the cultivation of the fruit in
the village started in 2015 which has sustained the livelihood of the villagers. He added that
the farmers steer clear of the use of chemicals and are into organic strawberry farming.
In Darechikgre, the Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills Jagdish Chelani said that the
strawberry festival has come out well to celebrate a product of Meghalaya which is a very
nascent and niche market which can be developed beautifully.
“The strawberries with further processing of food can be utilized at a much higher price for
the farmers of the region,” he said.