Tripura exported 73.15 MT pineapple n Gulf countries: Minister

To enhance the income of pineapple cultivators in Tripura, the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department is planning to set up a new fruit processing centre in Nalkata under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath announced on Saturday.

Addressing the Pineapple Festival at Geetanjali Auditorium in Kumarghat, Unakoti district, Nath said the initiative is part of the government’s broader strategy to expand the production, processing, and export of Tripura's organic fruits. He also highlighted that over the last seven years, the state has exported 73.15 metric tonnes (MT) of pineapple to Dubai, Oman, and Qatar.

“After our government came to power in 2018, we declared Queen pineapple as the state fruit, and it already has a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. Our goal now is to promote Queen pineapple as a global brand and strengthen the pineapple value chain,” Nath said.

The Minister also revealed plans to seek GI tags for other indigenous products, including Sidol Shutki (fermented fish) and Sabri banana.

Tripura has around 3.65 lakh kani of land under fruit cultivation, out of which 74,000 kani is dedicated to pineapple farming. The Kew variety is grown in 53,700 kani in Dhalai, Unakoti, and North Tripura districts, while the Queen variety is cultivated across 22,000 kani.

“Back in 2018, the price of pineapple was around Rs 8 to Rs 9. Today, it has gone up to around Rs 40. This is a direct impact of our efforts to improve market linkages and infrastructure,” Nath added. He also mentioned that a Rs 132 crore project is being planned in coordination with the Union DoNER Ministry to further support pineapple cultivation and export.

From 2018 to 2025, apart from pineapple exports, the state exported 4.40 MT of jackfruit to the US, 30 MT of ginger, and 17 MT of betel leaves to Bangladesh, he informed.

Later in the day, the Minister visited a pineapple processing unit in Kumarghat. MLA Bhagaban Das, ARDD and Fisheries Minister Sudhangshu Das, and other dignitaries were also present at the event.