Tripura: First commercial consignment of state pineapple left for Dubai

AGARTALA, June 4, 2018: In an initiative to popularise Tripura's tropical fruit globally, tonnes of Queen variety of pineapple were sent from state in its first consignment to Dubai.

The first consignment was flagged off by chief minister of Tripura, Biplab Kumar Deb along with agriculture minister Pranajit Singha Roy from Horticulture Research Complex at Nagicherra.

The initiative to export pineapples was taken by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda). Thousand pineapples were procured from eight farmers in Bilascherra village in Kamalpur subdivision of Dhalai district at Rs 21 per kg. Officials said the consignment will reach Dubai on Tuesday via New Delhi.

On May 18, the state government had signed an MoU with Kreamery Craft, a Calcutta-based export-import firm, and Spicejet Merchandise to market Tripura's pineapples in Dubai and other countries.

While speaking to the media at the ceremony, Deb said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a dream of doubling farmers' income in the country by 2022. The dream has become a reality here today."

The pineapples were purchased directly from farmers at Rs 21 a kg. Of this, the state horticulture department will take Re 1 for each kg. Claiming that pineapples are sold in Tripura at Rs 5 to Rs 9 a kg, Deb said his government has ensured a higher price for farmers.

Roy said many countries, including Israel and Bahrain, have expressed willingness to buy the pineapples. "We will also explore the domestic market," he said.

A discussion is under way with the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to carry a 25-tonne container with the Kanchenjunga Express which runs from Agartala station once a week.

CM Deb referring to India's foreign expenses for bamboo procurement said that every year Rs 1 lakh crore is spent for foreign trade in the sector.

Source: The Telegraph