Engaging in international trade, Tripura plans to export its high-quality pineapples to Gulf countries. The state’s Horticulture Department has been instructed by Deputy CM Jishnu Dev Barman to increase the production of the pineapples focusing on the sweet and flavorsome ‘queen variety’ grown in north Tripura. A high-level team from Dubai is already in the State to finalize a deal whereby pineapples produced in the State will be exported to Dubai and other Gulf destinations.
Tripura is fortunate to have agricultural as well as climatic conditions suitable for production of a large variety of horticultural crops chief among which include “Queen” and “Kew”; varieties of Pineapple, Oranges, Lichis and Cashew. Productivity of pineapple per hectare in Tripura is 18.73 tonnes, which is higher than the national average of 15.80 tonnes. The Dhalai district, another buffer zone of pineapple cultivation records the highest yield per hectare production in the state with 21.88 tonnes, according to Sibnarayan Sen, Director of the state government’s Department of Horticulture.
Also, the state government has also set a target to revive ‘Purbasha,’ the sales outlet of Tripura’s handloom and handicraft industry. Most sales outlets of Purbasha were closed down by the erstwhile State Government due to corruption and non-performance. Barman has asked the Purbasha staff to revive the PSU or close it down altogether.
