Agartala : Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday asserted that the pineapples grown in Tripura have been carrying the goodwill of the country to the nations where they are being exported.
Scindia was speaking at the launch of ‘Mission Queen Pineapple’ in New Delhi. Under this new scheme, a comprehensive value chain will be developed for growing export-quality pineapples across Tripura. Under the scheme, multiple infrastructure facilities will be created to augment and support the farmers growing pineapples in the state.
Recounting his conversation with the German Agriculture Minister, Scindia said, “When I was in Germany on an official visit, the German Agriculture Minister talked about the fine qualities of Indian pineapple. I asked him when he had visited India. He said he had never been here, but pineapples from India were exported to Germany. Later, I came to know that the Krishi Udaan Scheme, which was launched when I was the Union Civil Aviation Minister, helped farmers export their produce to international markets at subsidized rates. The best-quality pineapples grown in the North East are making inroads into Dubai and Germany. These agricultural goods are carrying the goodwill of the country as well.”
On the Mission Queen Pineapple scheme, Scindia said that as many as eight central government agencies had been roped in to create a sustainable value chain for the farmers of Tripura with an investment of Rs 236 crore.
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“The government of Tripura is spending Rs 20 crore. The DoNER Ministry has allocated Rs 45 crore. The Ministry of Agriculture is spending Rs 30 crore. Apart from that, the Ministry of Food Processing has contributed Rs 25 crore to the scheme. The other major stakeholders are APEDA, the Ministry of Industries and Commerce, the Ministry of MSME, ICAR, etc., which have contributed Rs 4 crore and Rs 2 crore each respectively,” he said.
Elaborating on the activities to be undertaken, the Minister said, “From cultivation to the creation of modern harvesting infrastructure and GI monetisation, a total of 25 activities have been identified. In addition, for effective monitoring, a time-bound schedule has been prepared so that every quarter we can review the progress and achievements made as per the pre-decided roadmap. We hope through this mechanism we will be able to spread this unique sweetness globally.”
According to the Minister, a total of Rs 80 crore will be spent on these activities.
On the infrastructure component, the Minister said, “A total of eight spokes and one hub will be created across Tripura. The hub will be established near MBB Airport, Agartala, while the spokes will be established at different locations. These spokes will have integrated cold storages, reefer facilities, and IoT-enabled farm monitoring systems. QR traceability systems and AI will also be used in this process. Other crucial aspects of the project include GI monetisation, buyer linkage, and market intelligence, which will be developed through a cohesive effort.”
The Minister also proposed a ‘waste-to-wealth’ initiative for the proper utilisation of residual raw materials. “We can convert the waste into high-value products through bromelain extraction, fibre extraction from pineapple leaves, and production of GI-branded confectionery,” he added.
Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath were also present at the event.
“Proud to formally launch ‘Mission Queen Pineapple, Tripura’, a transformative three-year Rs 236 crore project under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India. Joined the virtual launch from Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi, alongside Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia Ji and Agriculture Minister Shri Ratan Lal Nath Ji,” Dr Saha wrote on social media.
Source: EastMojo
