Lakadong turmeric – the acclaimed Geographical Indication (GI) tag’s newest awardee, has become a landmark achievement for the state of Meghalaya. Being the 741st recipient of the prestigious tag by Chennai’s Registrar of Geographical Indications, the specific variety of turmeric has been recognised for being one of the world’s finest spices. A committee that was formed in 2019 – which included K.N. Kumar, the Chairman of the Meghalaya Farmers’ (Empowerment) Commission and P. Sampath Kumar – former Commissioner and Secretary of Agriculture, worked relentlessly to bag the acknowledgement that took four years to obtain.
The announcement, which was made at the third edition of the Farmers’ Parliament, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma made the official announcement, he expressed his happiness at taking a step towards preserving the authenticity of the prized turmeric. As one of the most expensive varieties of turmeric around the world, Lakadong turmeric is also used for pharmaceutical purposes – besides the usual edible utilisations. Its high curcumin levels – one of Lakadong turmeric’s USP – has been misrepresented due to the increasing demand, that put its authenticity at stake.
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Also known as red turmeric, this variety is known for its bright golden hue and distinctly earthy flavour. This achievement also comes in close on the heels of the state joining the Under2 Coalition, to achieve net zero targets and climate resilience. Sangma also revealed as part of the announcement, that the state is working towards obtaining a GI tag for all of its indigenous products – besides the Lakadong turmeric, Khasi mandarin orange and memong narang (wild oranges).