Dr. Jitendra Singh visits NECTAR's Mobile Food Processing Unit in Shillong
Synopsis
Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh visited NECTAR's Mobile Food Processing Unit in Shillong on 14 July 2026, engaging with beneficiary farmers and Director General Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma to assess how portable processing technology is boosting value addition for organic produce in the North East.
Key Takeaways
Jitendra Singh visited the Mobile Food Processing Unit at NECTAR headquarters in Shillong, Meghalaya on 14 July 2026 .
NECTAR (North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach) is a DST autonomous body established in 2014 to deploy technology across the eight North Eastern states.
The Mobile Food Processing Unit brings portable processing equipment to farmers, enabling value addition of organic fruits and vegetables at or near the farm gate.
The minister interacted directly with beneficiary farmers and Director General Dr.
Arun Kumar Sarma during the walkthrough.
The initiative targets reduced post-harvest losses and improved market linkages for organic produce in a region with historically limited processing infrastructure.
A potential integration with the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM FME) scheme could expand the programme's reach across the North East.
Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Tuesday, 14 July 2026 walked through the Mobile Food Processing Unit at the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) in Shillong, Meghalaya, interacting directly with beneficiary farmers and senior officials including Director General Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma.
Context
The minister's visit centred on a hands-on inspection of NECTAR's portable food processing infrastructure, which brings processing equipment directly to farming communities across the North Eastern Region. Dr. Jitendra Singh described the initiative as 'empowering farmers through value addition, improved processing, and technology-driven interventions' for organic fruit and vegetable based food recipes 'with market potential.'
NECTAR, headquartered in Shillong, is an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The minister holds independent charge of both the Science and Technology and Earth Sciences portfolios, giving him direct oversight of NECTAR's mandate and funding.
Policy backdrop
NECTAR was established in 2014 by the Department of Science and Technology specifically to adapt and deploy technologies suited to the conditions of the eight North Eastern states. Its remit covers everything from water resource management to agricultural processing — with the Mobile Food Processing Unit representing one of its flagship field-level interventions.
The initiative addresses a persistent challenge in the region: significant post-harvest losses among smallholder farmers who grow organic produce but lack access to processing infrastructure and reliable market linkages. By making the unit mobile, NECTAR removes the need for farmers to transport perishable goods to distant facilities, reducing spoilage and improving income at the farm gate.
Stakeholders and impact
The primary beneficiaries are North East farmers and organic producers who grow a diverse range of fruits and vegetables suited to the region's agro-climatic conditions. Value addition through processing — converting raw produce into packaged food products — can meaningfully raise farmgate prices and open formal retail and export channels.
The visit also signals continued central government attention to the North East as a zone of science-driven rural development. Under Dr. Jitendra Singh's tenure, DST autonomous institutions have been directed to prioritise last-mile technology delivery, and NECTAR's mobile model is increasingly cited as a replicable template for other agro-processing challenges in hilly and remote terrain.
What's next
Policymakers and agriculture stakeholders will watch whether the government scales up the number of mobile units deployed across the region, and whether NECTAR's model is integrated with the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM FME) scheme, which provides capital and market support to small food processors. A broader rollout could extend the unit's reach to more farming clusters across Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and other North Eastern states.
Dr. Jitendra Singh's field visit, combined with his direct engagement with beneficiary farmers, suggests the government intends to keep technology-led agricultural transformation in the North East firmly on its policy agenda in the months ahead.
Point of View
And portable processing units represent a low-cost, high-impact model that sidesteps the need for large fixed investments. By personally engaging with beneficiary farmers, the minister signals that the central government views science and technology not merely as an urban or industrial policy lever but as a tool for rural income enhancement in frontier regions. The visit also keeps NECTAR's work in the policy spotlight at a time when the government is actively seeking to formalise and scale micro food processing enterprises nationwide.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NECTAR and what does it do?
NECTAR stands for North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach. It is an autonomous body under India's Department of Science and Technology, set up in 2014 to adapt and deploy technologies suited to the conditions of the eight North Eastern states, covering areas from water management to agricultural processing.
What is the Mobile Food Processing Unit launched by NECTAR?
The Mobile Food Processing Unit is a NECTAR initiative that provides portable processing equipment to farmers in the North East, enabling them to add value to organic fruits and vegetables close to the farm gate, reducing post-harvest losses and improving market access.
Why did Dr. Jitendra Singh visit Shillong in July 2026?
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, visited Shillong on 14 July 2026 to inspect NECTAR's Mobile Food Processing Unit and interact with beneficiary farmers, as part of the government's focus on technology-driven agricultural development in the North East.
Who is Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma?
Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma is the Director General of NECTAR. He oversees field-level technology application projects including the Mobile Food Processing Unit and accompanied Dr. Jitendra Singh during the ministerial visit.
How does the Mobile Food Processing Unit help North East farmers?
By bringing processing equipment directly to farming communities, the unit allows farmers to convert raw organic produce into packaged food products without travelling to distant facilities. This reduces spoilage, raises farmgate prices, and opens formal retail and export channels for North Eastern organic farmers.
