The GI Tagged Queen variety of pineapples from the Northeast Indian state of Tripura is now being sold in the capital of the country. A sales point for the Queen pineapples was inaugurated in the Dilli Haat located in New Delhi on Thursday.
The inaugural event saw the presence of Union Minister for Agriculture – Narendra Singh Tomar. Tripura’s Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Ratan Lal Nath and Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary were also present for the event.
The state produces large amounts of pineapples, which were initially sold in the local markets. With the increase in advertising in terms of food crops, these are now in demand across markets across the world. State-owned agencies ensure the export of these fruits to far-off markets. They also ensure that the farmers receive a good value for the crop. By purchasing the products directly from the farmers, the need for any middleman is also eliminated.
These fruits have been made available in the Dubai markets as well in the past. Pineapples from Manipur and Assam were also showcased and sold in the international markets. Such steps have encouraged the farmers of the state to take up commercial cultivation of Queen pineapples.
The agriculture minister of the state also mentioned that the state produces large quantities of both Queen and Kew pineapples. And that the per-hectare output of pineapples in Tripura is higher than in any other state. Apart from the raw fruits, pineapple-based products like squash and jam are also produced.
