New Delhi/Agartala, June 27 (IANS) Tripura Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Saturday said that the Tripura Global Pineapple Festival 2026, organised in New Delhi, is aimed at realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
Addressing the Tripura Global Pineapple Festival 2026, the Minister said that the event will showcase Tripura’s agricultural excellence and rich cultural heritage on the global stage.
He said that the primary objective of the festival is not only to promote Tripura’s world-famous pineapple in national and international markets but also to showcase the state’s tourism potential, cultural heritage, bamboo sector and other emerging industries before delegates from across India and abroad.
He said that the main aim of this festival was not only to take Tripura’s pineapple to the world stage but also to promote tourism, culture, bamboo production, and other sectors, and to present them to national and international delegations.
Highlighting the achievements of the agriculture sector, the Minister said that remarkable progress has been made since Prime Minister Modi assumed office and credited the success to the Centre’s Act East Policy.
He added that since PM Modi came to office, the agriculture sector had achieved remarkable success, and the implementation of the Act East Policy had played a significant role in this transformation, noting that Tripura’s pineapple was now recognised worldwide.
Nath said that the state’s favourable climate provides ideal conditions for pineapple cultivation, making it one of the finest varieties produced in India.
He said that the Janajati (tribal) farmers of Tripura cultivate the Queen and Kew varieties of pineapple and informed that the Queen variety received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2014, and in 2018, the Tripura Government declared pineapple as the official state fruit.
The Minister said that the Queen variety is known for its exceptional sweetness, rich aroma, superior taste and longer shelf life, making it highly suitable for exports to international markets.
He added that the Queen pineapple was very sweet, delicious and had an excellent fragrance, and that it also had a longer shelf life and did not rot easily, making it suitable for export to destinations across the world.
Nath said that the cultivation of the Queen and Kew varieties has significantly strengthened Tripura’s position in the horticulture sector and opened up new export opportunities.
He added that since 2018, they had exported around 33 metric tonnes of pineapple to Dubai, Qatar, Oman and Bangladesh, and had also exported container consignments of pineapple to Germany and Russia, while supplying nearly 15,000 metric tonnes of pineapple to several Indian states, including Assam, Karnataka, West Bengal, Delhi and Odisha.
He further informed that the state government, with financial assistance from the Central Government and the Ministry of DoNER, is implementing a Rs 234-crore project to strengthen the marketing, processing, and value addition of the GI-tagged Queen pineapple.
He added that they had undertaken a project worth Rs 234 crore with the support of the Central Government and the Ministry of DoNER for the marketing, processing and other activities related to the Queen pineapple, and had also planned to establish two bromelain extraction plants in Agartala and Gomati district, each of which had the potential to generate annual revenue of around Rs 12 crore to Rs 18 crore.
The Minister also said that the three-day festival would feature a series of cultural programmes showcasing Tripura’s rich traditions, heritage, and diverse cultural identity, giving visitors and delegates an opportunity to experience the state’s unique cultural fabric alongside its agricultural achievements.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Sukanta Majumdar were present at the inaugural function.
–IANS
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