New Delhi/Agartala, May 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a major initiative aimed at enhancing the production of Queen Pineapple and helping farmers double their income, the ‘Mission Queen Pineapple, Tripura’, a transformative three-year project with an outlay of Rs 236 crore, was launched in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The project was jointly launched by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, and the state’s Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath.
Addressing the launching ceremony, Agriculture Minister Nath said that Tripura is a land of hills and dales, with nearly 70 per cent of the state’s geographical area covered by hills and hillocks, locally known as ‘Tilla’, while the remaining 30 per cent comprises plain land.
He said that the state’s unique agro-climatic conditions make Tripura one of India’s leading pineapple-producing regions, primarily cultivating the ‘Queen’ and ‘Kew’ varieties, mostly by tribal growers.
“The state fruit of Tripura, Queen Pineapple, holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag and is recognised for its distinctive aroma, golden-yellow colour, low fibre content, and superior taste, which differentiate it from other competing varieties,” the Minister said.
According to Nath, despite possessing such premium genetic characteristics, smallholder pineapple growers in Tripura continue to receive farm gate prices ranging between Rs 6 and Rs 10 per kg, whereas processed or export-grade Queen Pineapple fetches between Rs 80 and Rs 150 per kg in domestic as well as international markets.
The Minister, who also holds the Power portfolio, said that pineapples grown in Tripura are widely acknowledged as among the best in the country.
Describing the unique features of the fruit, Nath said that the Queen Pineapple is a spiny, golden-yellow variety known for its sweet taste, pleasant aroma, juicy flesh, and rich nutritional value.
It contains vitamins A, B, and C, as well as minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron.
The fruit has Total Soluble Solids (TSS), or sweetness, ranging from 13 to 17.2 degrees Brix and acidity levels between 0.6 and 0.8 per cent, giving it a balanced sweet-tart flavour.
“The journey of exporting Tripura’s Queen variety began on June 3, 2018, with shipments to Dubai, followed by exports to Qatar, Oman, and Bangladesh. Canned pineapple from the state was also exported to Germany and Russia,” Nath said.
Elaborating on the project, the Minister informed that the Detailed Project Report (DPR), titled “Pineapple Cultivation and Value Chain Development”, envisages a three-year implementation roadmap from FY 2026 to FY 2028.
The project seeks to systematically address every structural gap preventing Tripura’s Queen Pineapple from realising its premium market potential.
He said that out of the total project cost of Rs 236 crore, the Tripura government would contribute Rs 20 crore, while the Ministry of DoNER would provide Rs 145 crore.
The Ministry of Agriculture would contribute Rs 30 crore, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries Rs 25 crore, and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) Rs 4 crore.
In addition, the Ministries of Industry and Commerce and MSME, along with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), would contribute Rs 2 crore each towards the project.
Nath said that the DPR has been broadly divided into three major components, Cultivation Management, Post-Harvest Management and Processing, and Branding and Marketing.
He further said that a multi-ministerial coordination model has been proposed for the successful implementation of the ambitious mission.
“The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of Tripura Queen Pineapple lies in its aromatic intensity, low-fibre texture, and GI protection, which together will help the fruit realise its premium potential in national and international markets,” he added.
Highlighting the economic potential of pineapple waste utilisation, Nath said: “The leaves that our pineapple farmers discard as waste today are worth nearly Rs 1,483 crore. This scheme aims to transform that waste into wealth using the same land, the same crop, and the same farmer.”
Source: IANS
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