Agartala, July 12, 2025: Tripura has exported 73.15 metric tonnes (MT) of pineapple to Dubai, Oman, and Qatar over the past seven years, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath announced on Saturday.
The announcement came during the state-level Pineapple Festival held at Geetanjali Auditorium in Kumarghat, Unakoti district. Addressing the gathering, Nath reiterated the state government’s focus on enhancing horticultural exports and strengthening farmer welfare.
“Our government has declared the Queen pineapple as the state fruit. It holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which helps us preserve its identity and market it as a unique product of Tripura,” said Nath. “We are working to scale up both its cultivation and international outreach.”
The minister also revealed that the state is pursuing GI tag recognition for other indigenous products, including Sidol Shutki (fermented fish) and Sabri banana.
As part of efforts to boost organic farming and market access, the government recently organised its first-ever buyers-sellers meet, focusing on organic produce like pineapple, bird’s eye chilli, and ginger.
Tripura has approximately 3.65 lakh kani of land under fruit cultivation, Nath informed. Of this, around 74,000 kani is devoted to pineapple, with the Kew variety covering 53,700 kani in Dhalai, Unakoti, and North districts, and the Queen variety cultivated across 22,000 kani.
Highlighting the economic upliftment of farmers, Nath said, “In 2018, pineapples sold for Rs 8–9 apiece. Today, prices have climbed to Rs 40 or more, marking a significant boost to farmers’ incomes.”
He further disclosed that the Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), in association with Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, is planning a Rs 132 crore project to globally promote Tripura’s Queen pineapple brand.
Besides pineapples, the state also exported 4.40 MT of jackfruit to the United States, 30 MT of ginger, and 17 MT of betel leaf to Bangladesh between 2018 and 2025, Nath added.
Participating in the state-level Pineapple Festival held at Gitanjali Auditorium in Kumarghat, Minister Sudhangshu Das praised the central and state governments for their continued focus on farmers’ welfare and agricultural development.
Speaking at the festival, Das said, “Today, in the glorious presence of Shri Ratan Lal Nath, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, I had the privilege of attending the Pineapple Festival at Kumarghat. This initiative reflects our government’s deep commitment to the farming community.”
Das credited the developmental momentum to the leadership at both the Centre and the state level. “Under the dynamic leadership of our Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji and with the tireless efforts of our respected Chief Minister, Professor Dr. Manik Saha, the government is continuously working to uplift the lives of farmers through various schemes,” he stated.
He further applauded the role of the Agriculture Department in driving forward policies and programs aimed at increasing income and improving market access for farmers across Tripura.
