SHILLONG – Meghalaya is putting 60 local enterprises in front of consumers and potential buyers in Tura as the state government seeks to push MSMEs beyond the local market and into wider domestic and international trade.
The two-day State Level Industrial Exhibition 2026 and Road Show opened at Matchakolgre L.P. School Playground on Thursday, organised by the Commerce & Industries Department under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) Scheme.
The exhibition is the first state-level industrial exhibition under RAMP to be held in the Garo Hills, bringing together enterprises from across Meghalaya. Six participating units are from the Khasi Hills, while the remaining exhibitors are from the Garo Hills region.
The 60 stalls feature handloom and handicrafts, cane and bamboo products, agricultural and processed food, spices, honey, essential oils and other locally developed products.
Director of Commerce & Industries M.L. Wanshnong, who inaugurated the exhibition and flagged off the road show, said Meghalaya’s entrepreneurs should begin looking beyond the state’s domestic market.
“Our entrepreneurs should not limit themselves to the domestic market. Meghalaya has a strategic location along the international border and connectivity with South and Southeast Asia, which gives us opportunities to explore export markets.”
The department is also preparing for a Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet in Shillong on October 10 and 11, with buyers from 26 countries expected to participate. Wanshnong said international buyers at the previous meet in February had shown particular interest in products such as honey and handloom.He said international buyers were not necessarily looking only for large volumes, but also for products with a distinct identity, origin and cultural story.
The department also highlighted concerns over the decline of traditional cane and bamboo craftsmanship in the Garo Hills, with Wanshnong stressing the need to revive indigenous skills while connecting them to modern markets. A proposed Common Facility Centre/Business Complex in Tura, which will accommodate around 16 MSMEs, is expected to be inaugurated within the next six months.
Joint Director of Commerce & Industries, Tura, D.F.R. Marak said the exhibition was designed to give entrepreneurs a practical platform to build market connections and improve their businesses.
“The objective is not only to display products, but to create opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect with markets, exchange ideas, improve product quality and establish long-term business partnerships.”
The department said some enterprises that previously participated in such platforms have since secured orders from outside Meghalaya.RAMP interventions are also being used to address problems faced by MSMEs, including limited market access, branding, digital integration and lack of awareness about government support schemes.
The programme has supported value addition, with honey producers moving into products such as beeswax, polish and balms, while food-processing units have received assistance with food-safety compliance, accreditation and packaging.
The department is also helping local businesses explore digital marketplaces including ONDC, Amazon and GeM, alongside international buyer-seller meets.
Udyam Registration and Importer Exporter Code facilitation camps are being conducted alongside the exhibition to help entrepreneurs formalise their businesses and access institutional and credit-linked support.
The exhibition remains open until September 11, giving Meghalaya’s MSMEs two days to do something a government exhibition cannot do for them: turn visibility into actual buyers and orders.
