📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Prime Minister's Office
Business
Meghalaya targets $26.8 trillion global market through FTAs as exports stay at $77 million
✍️ Highland Post
🗓 30 Oct 2026, 08:36 PM
👁 24
Meghalaya's government says free‑trade agreements could open a $26.8 trillion market, while the state’s current export earnings total just $77 million.
The Meghalaya state administration announced that it is eyeing the massive $26.8 trillion global market that could become accessible through a series of free‑trade agreements (FTAs) with other nations. Officials said the move is part of a long‑term strategy to diversify the state's economy and reduce its reliance on central transfers.
Despite the ambitious target, Meghalaya’s export basket was recorded at a modest $77 million in the last fiscal year, underscoring the scale of the challenge ahead. The figure reflects shipments of timber, horticultural produce and a few manufactured items, all of which account for a tiny share of the national export landscape.
State trade officials outlined plans to boost sectoral output in horticulture, tourism‑related services and niche handicrafts, aiming to meet the standards required by prospective FTA partners. They also highlighted the need for improved logistics, better market intelligence and capacity‑building for local entrepreneurs.
The government expects that, with sustained policy support and successful negotiations, the export value could rise sharply over the next decade, allowing Meghalaya to tap into the lucrative global demand pool that FTAs are designed to open.
Despite the ambitious target, Meghalaya’s export basket was recorded at a modest $77 million in the last fiscal year, underscoring the scale of the challenge ahead. The figure reflects shipments of timber, horticultural produce and a few manufactured items, all of which account for a tiny share of the national export landscape.
State trade officials outlined plans to boost sectoral output in horticulture, tourism‑related services and niche handicrafts, aiming to meet the standards required by prospective FTA partners. They also highlighted the need for improved logistics, better market intelligence and capacity‑building for local entrepreneurs.
The government expects that, with sustained policy support and successful negotiations, the export value could rise sharply over the next decade, allowing Meghalaya to tap into the lucrative global demand pool that FTAs are designed to open.