AGARTALA, June 17: Tripura Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma on Tuesday asserted that the tribals of the northeastern state have made remarkable achievements in the production of mangoes and pineapples.
He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a two-day Pineapple and Mango Festival organised by the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) here.
“I was astonished seeing the production of pineapples and mangoes by the tribals in Tripura. The land here is fertile and grows almost all horticultural products in abundance. We have ample scope for developing our natural resources,” Debbarma said.
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Hundreds of tribals thronged the festival venue with mangoes and pineapples to showcase their products.
Gandachhara subdivision in Dhalai district, located around 130 km from Agartala, is rapidly gaining recognition as a major hub for mango cultivation, including the rare and expensive Miyazaki variety.
Government officials said that Dhalai has earned the title of “fruit district” of Tripura due to its high fruit yield.
Currently, 1,386 hectares in Dhalai are dedicated to mango cultivation, producing an annual yield of approximately 7,055 metric tonnes.
The state’s favourable tropical climate, marked by 2,200 mm of annual rainfall over eight months, supports this flourishing agricultural activity, particularly on the gentle uplands of Gandachhara.
Officials said that 10,357 hectares across Tripura are currently under mango cultivation, yielding an average of six metric tonnes per hectare. Traditional and exotic varieties such as Amrapali, Himsagar, Ambika, Arunika, and the high-value Miyazaki are being grown.
Meanwhile, the central government is backing a Rs 132.62-crore project to boost the global presence of Tripura’s ‘Queen’ variety pineapple.
Phani Bhusan Jamatia, Director of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, said the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) has extended support following a proposal by the state government.
Tripura, with 12,095 hectares under pineapple cultivation, produces about 1,77,433 tonnes annually. The organically grown ‘Queen’ variety is known for its exceptional taste and nutritional value.
“To meet export standards, we must focus on year-round production, improved packaging, and longer shelf-life,” Jamatia said.
Currently, a packaging facility is operational in Agartala, with another to be set up in Nalakata soon.
The northeastern state currently has 12,095 hectares under pineapple cultivation, producing around 1,77,433 tonnes of the fruit annually. (PTI)
