The quick-commerce platform plans to add GI-tagged produce including Khasi Mandarin, Karbi Anglong Ginger, Tezpur Litchi and Kachai Lemon to its assortment
Instamart has started selling Meghalaya’s premium pineapples in Bengaluru as its sellers look to expand sourcing of distinctive and GI-tagged produce from Northeast India into markets across South and West India.
The pineapples are sourced through Meghalaya-based Jirang Organic Agro Farmer Producer Company and air-freighted to Bengaluru. The initiative is aimed at taking produce that has traditionally been sold largely within the Northeast and select wholesale markets to a wider consumer base.
Over the next 12 to 24 months, Instamart sellers plan to work with more Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), farmer collectives and regional agencies across the Northeast to expand the assortment.
Products being evaluated include Meghalaya’s Khasi Mandarin, Assam’s Karbi Anglong Ginger and Tezpur Litchi, and Manipur’s Kachai Lemon. Sellers are also exploring products such as kiwi and garlic from the region.
Gautam Swaroop, Chief Business Officer, Instamart, said, “India’s Northeast is home to some of the country’s most distinctive and high-quality fruits and vegetables, but much of this produce has traditionally remained accessible only within the region or a handful of markets. With Instamart’s reach, we have a unique opportunity to bring fresh local produce across the country while creating new market opportunities for farmers and producer organisations. Meghalaya’s pineapples are the first step in this journey, and over time, we hope to build a much broader assortment of Northeast produce for customers across India.”
The move also gives farmer organisations access to markets beyond their traditional catchments. Iba Thangkhiew, CEO, Jirang Organic Agro Farmer Producer, said, “For a Farmer Producer Company based in a rural and remote part of Meghalaya, this partnership is a proud milestone. It provides our farmers with direct access to premium markets and ensures that the hard work of our farming community reaches consumers far beyond our state.”
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has also recognised the initiative, highlighting its potential to strengthen market linkages for farmers in the state.
The expansion builds on Instamart sellers’ wider fresh-produce sourcing network, which the company said works with more than 430 FPOs and reaches over 10,000 farmers across India.
