Agartala, June 13, 2024: The Tripura government is poised to export 30 metric tons of Queen Pineapple to Holland and 5 metric tons to Dubai, marking a significant achievement for the region’s agricultural sector.
Tripura’s Queen Pineapple, which has earned a Geographical Indication (GI) tag through the efforts of the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC), is gaining international recognition. Former President Ram Nath Kovind previously declared the Queen variety pineapple as the state fruit of Tripura.
On Thursday, Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath made the announcement while flagging off a train carrying 600 kg of ‘Queen’ variety of pineapple destined for Oman. “With the collaborative efforts of NERAMAC, SIMFED, and the state government, 600 kg of ‘Queen’ variety of pineapple grown at Lefunga under West district in Tripura have been exported to Oman,” Nath said.
“These pineapples will be transported to Guwahati and then flown to Oman. Additionally, we have received an order from Dubai for 5 metric tons of Queen Pineapple, and negotiations are ongoing to export approximately 30 metric tons to Holland,” he explained.
Minister Nath emphasized the export achievements since the BJP formed the government in 2018. “Over the past five years, we have exported 33 metric tons of pineapples internationally and 12,500 metric tons to other states in India. This initiative ensures that our farmers receive fair prices and benefits,” he noted.
Nath also highlighted the export of other Tripura-grown products: “We have exported 4.4 metric tons of jackfruits, 257 metric tons of wood apple, 397 metric tons of tamarind, 74 metric tons of ginger, and 70 metric tons of betel leaf to various foreign countries and states, benefiting our farmers greatly. While the market price per pineapple is around Rs. 18, our farmers are earning Rs. 32 per piece.”
He further pointed out the significant expansion in pineapple cultivation: “Before 2018, pineapple cultivation covered 595 hectares, but after 2018, it has expanded to 5,654 hectares.”
