Tripura Exports Lemons and Exotic Pineapples to Dubai

Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Monday flagged off the 17-tonne consignment of exotic and juicy pineapple to Dubai. Besides pineapple, Tripura is also exporting lemons to Dubai. Tripura exported 1.5 tonnes of the Queen variety of pineapple to Dubai last year as part of the initiative to popularize the tropical fruit globally.

“With the increase in pineapple production from the 1.26 lakh tonnes to 3 lakh tonnes by 2021, the fruit will be exported to more countries and all the States in India,” Deb said.

The Chief Minister said the consignment would reach Dubai in 9-10 days. “After Tripura gets linked through the proposed waterway with Bangladesh, the time and cost of exporting pineapple, lemon and other items would be further reduced,” he said.

The production of the Queen variety of pineapples has increased by 25 percent. The Chief Minister said all blocks had been asked to enlarge pineapple cultivation area. “In near future, the State would start earning more foreign exchange and extend more benefits to farmers,” Deb said.

Pineapples are also exported to Bangladesh. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s target to double farmers’ income by 2022 would be achieved in Tripura through the export of pineapple,” Deb said.

In Tripura, Agriculture and Transport Minister Pranajit Singh Roy said one pineapple fetched Rs 5-10, but for export purposes, it was being procured at Rs 15 per piece. Stating that one pineapple fetches Rs 20 in Dubai against Rs 5-10 in Tripura, Tripura Chief Secretary Usurupati Venkateswarlu said the juicy and sweet pineapples would make Tripura “familiar” to the rest of the world. (IANS)

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