Tripura starts exporting ‘Queen’ pineapples to Dubai

Emiratis have started tasting Tripura’s ‘Queen’ variety of pineapples for the first time from this week onwards. The Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has flagged off a tonne consignment to Dubai this Sunday on a SpiceJet aircraft via New Delhi.

SpiceJet has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the state government-run Tripura Horticulture Corp and a Kolkata-based company to facilitate the exports.

President Ramnath Kovind, who is expected to visit Tripura tomorrow would declare the ‘Queen’ variety of pineapple as the state fruit. The declaration of state fruit would be made at a civic reception organised by the state government in honour of the President.

The chief minister urged the people to grow more pineapples and jackfruits as both are being produced in Tripura with a rich quality due to the climatic condition, soil and the environment. “Tripura can earn huge foreign money by cultivating bamboo. If the farmers and others cultivate pineapple, jackfruit and bamboo, their economic condition would see a sea change,” he said.

“Tripura would be able to supply at least 200 MT best grown pineapples during the current season between May and July. The ‘Queen’ pineapples being sold in Tripura for Rs 20 per kg would be at least Rs 80 in the Dubai market,” Deb added.