18th May, 2026 (Nokinketer News): Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Communications, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, today launched the cluster-based coffee value chain development mission, “Coffees of Nagaland,” aimed at transforming the state into a premium specialty coffee hub.

The launch programme was attended by Minister of State for DoNER Sukanta Majumdar, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang, Advisor for Land Resources G. Ikuto Zhimomi, and Secretary, MDoNER, Sanjay Jaju.

With a total outlay of Rs 175 crore, the mission has been designed through a whole-of-government approach to strengthen the entire coffee value chain in the state. The initiative will focus on plantation development, post-harvest processing, branding, marketing, traceability, export promotion, tourism, and capacity building.

Two pilot coffee clusters have been identified under the project — Tuophema Village in Kohima district for Arabica coffee and Ghotovi Village in Niuland district for Robusta coffee.

Addressing the gathering, Scindia said the mission aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making farmers active stakeholders in the agricultural value chain. He described the initiative as a “whole-of-India approach” bringing together governments, farmers, entrepreneurs, processors, exporters, branding experts, and market leaders on a common platform.

The Union Minister said the mission aims to develop “Coffees of Nagaland” into a premium, traceable, single-origin coffee brand with strong domestic and international market presence. He added that the initiative would also promote coffee tourism through farm stays and farm-to-cup experiences in the pilot clusters.

Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar said the integration of organic certification, GI tagging, and digital traceability would help improve farmers’ income and provide access to premium international markets while supporting experiential tourism in the region.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio described the project as a milestone in Nagaland’s agricultural diversification and rural development efforts. He said coffee cultivation has emerged as an important alternative to shifting cultivation and holds strong potential for sustainable farming and long-term livelihood generation.

In his introductory remarks, Secretary MDoNER Sanjay Jaju highlighted Nagaland’s favourable agroclimatic conditions for producing premium Arabica and Robusta coffee. He said the cluster-based model would help small farmers benefit from shared infrastructure, technical support, and branding initiatives.

The mission is expected to generate sustainable livelihoods, improve farm-level value realisation, and encourage greater participation of rural youth in the coffee sector. The launch programme was attended by officials of MDoNER, the Government of Nagaland, farmers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders.

*****Source: PIB Delhi*****