Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Sunday flagged off a one tonne consignment of state’s famous Queen Pineapples to Dubai.
The variety of fruit, known for being juicy and sweet, was sent on a SpiceJet aircraft via New Delhi.
The private airliner last month signed a MoU with the state government-run Tripura Horticulture Corp and a Kolkata-based company to facilitate the exports.
Deb, who personally took the initiative to export the pineapple which is famous in India and neighbouring countries, 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 at the function.
A SpiceJet official said that by Wednesday they would carry three tonnes of pineapples to Dubai.
State agriculture and tourism minister Pranajit Singha Roy, who along with other senior officials was present at the function, said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance government’s initiative to export the pineapples would encourage the farmers to grow pineapples in newer areas in the state.
“Tripura would be able to supply at least 200 MT best grown pineapples during the current season (May to July). The Queen pineapples being sold in Tripura for Rs 20 per kg would be at least Rs 80 in the Dubai market,” the minister added.
