Queen variety of pineapple to be promoted globally

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Apr 25, 2025

Agartala, April 25 (FD) The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) has approved a project of Rs. 132.62 crore to promote Tripura’s juicy and fleshy queen variety of pineapple, which is the state fruit.

In the first phase the project will go GIS mapping and market research to identify the productive areas.

The Tripura government had requested the ministry of DoNER to explore the possibility of international market for the queen variety.

The state produces 1, 77,433 tons of the fruit annually cultivated on 12,095 hectares of land and the state now wants to increase the areas under cultivation.

The state Agriculture minister Ratan Lal Nath had a discussion with the minister of DoNER, Jyotiraditya Scindia virtually on Thursday, who gave assurance for promotion of the fruit.

Phanibhushan Jamatiya, the Director of Horticulture said the fruit has demand in the global markets as the fruit is juicy and tasteful and grown without chemicals.

The state is also conducting research so that the fruit could be grown throughout the year. At present it is harvested over a three month window. At present there is an integrated packaging facility here and the other would be set up at Nalkata, near Kumarghat. 

The fruit is highly perishable which starts rotting within 6-8 days, but it needs to explore the use of safe hormonal treatments.

Scindia also advocated for the use of modern technologies such as drones, AI and IT tools in pineapple cultivation for better surveillance, maintenance and overall quality developments. FD JK