Tripura aims to export agro-based products globally

A Correspondent

AGARTALA, July 23 : Tripura government is aspiring to start export of other agricultural and horticultural products in foreign countries. Jack fruit, Shabri variety of banana and Karala are the products primarily the government is targeting to export.

Agriculture Minister Pranajit Sinha said preliminary preparations have already been started and the department is expecting to begin the export from next year. “If the initiative succeeds it will be a tremendous boost to the farmers and the income of the farming community will increase,’ he said.

He said the government has taken an ambitious programme to encourage good quality fruits and vegetables so that these items get a good market in the foreign countries. Steps have already been taken to provide fertilizers, seeds, pesticides and like to the farmers in time.

Addressing a public meeting at Rajdhar Nagar in Udaipur under Gomati district the minister said, “The government has taken up a special programme so that the farmers never need to visit the office of agriculture superintendent. Instead the officers of the department will meet them in the field to advice them about what should be done.”

In a stunning revelation he said, “Over 1.50 lakh acres of land in the state remained uncultivated and the government is preparing a plan to bring them under cultivation which will be a great boost for the farming sector and the farmers will become self-sufficient. “

‘Moreover,cultivable lands of many farmers turned uncultivable due to government apathy and this should not be repeated’, he said.

It may be recalled that this year a good quantity of Pineapples especially the Queen and Kew variety has been exported to Dubai and the state is expecting that the quantity will increase from next year as more and more demands are coming in. Apart from Dubai many other countries has also shown interest to import Pineapples from Tripura especially the Queen variety.