Centre launched the Rs. 236 crore Mission Queen Pineapple in Tripura to boost GI-tagged pineapple cultivation, processing, exports and farmer incomes.
Agartala, May 27: The Union Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) on Tuesday launched “Mission Queen Pineapple”, a Rs. 236 crore initiative aimed at strengthening pineapple cultivation, processing and global market access in Tripura through an integrated value-chain approach.
The three-year mission, scheduled for implementation from the second quarter of FY2026 to the fourth quarter of FY2028, was launched by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia along with Manik Saha.
The initiative focuses on promoting Tripura’s GI-tagged Queen Pineapple as a premium agricultural brand while improving farmer incomes, post-harvest infrastructure and export readiness.
According to MDoNER, the mission has been designed as a convergence-led programme involving multiple central ministries and agencies, including the Ministries of Agriculture, Food Processing Industries, Commerce and MSME, along with organisations such as APEDA, DPIIT, ICAR, CSIR, TRIFED and North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC). The Government of Tripura is also a key implementing partner.
Addressing stakeholders, farmers, processors and investors during the launch event, Scindia said that the initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of transforming the Northeast into a hub for high-value agricultural and horticultural products. He said that the objective was not limited to increasing pineapple cultivation but to integrate farmers into every stage of the value chain, including aggregation, processing, branding, packaging and exports.
“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, Tripura’s agricultural strengths are being transformed into globally competitive brands,” Scindia said.
The Minister observed that despite the distinct aroma, sweetness and low-fibre texture of the Queen Pineapple, farmers often receive only commodity-level prices due to weak market linkages and inadequate infrastructure.
According to officials, the mission seeks to bridge these gaps through investments in cold-chain logistics, processing facilities and digital traceability systems.
A major component of the programme is the creation of a “Hub and Spoke” post-harvest ecosystem for pineapple handling and marketing. The project includes one central hub near Agartala airport and eight spoke collection centres spread across pineapple-growing regions of West Tripura, Khowai and Sepahijala districts.
The infrastructure plan includes grading facilities, cold storage units, reefer transportation systems, solar-powered cold storage, IoT-enabled farm monitoring and QR-based digital traceability systems aimed at improving quality assurance and export readiness.
Scindia also announced the revival of the Nalkata Pineapple Processing Unit through a Viability Gap Funding model to be implemented by NERAMAC in partnership with private players. The processing facility is expected to support commercial-scale production of pineapple-based products and encourage value addition.
The mission additionally proposes a bio-economy strategy centred on utilising pineapple waste materials for commercial products.
According to the Minister, nearly 60 per cent of the pineapple plant currently discarded as waste can be converted into value-added products through Bromelain extraction, Pineapple Leaf Fibre (PALF) processing and GI-branded confectionery manufacturing.
Officials said these activities are expected to create livelihood opportunities for women self-help groups, tribal communities and rural entrepreneurs while supporting a circular economy model around pineapple cultivation.
Chief Minister Manik Saha said that pineapple had been declared the State Fruit of Tripura and highlighted the popularity of the Queen and Kew pineapple varieties grown in the state. He said that the pineapples are cultivated naturally in Tripura’s hilly terrain without chemical inputs, contributing to their sweetness, aroma and quality.
The CM said that the state government has been focusing on food processing, packaging, branding and market connectivity to improve farmer incomes and generate rural employment opportunities.
Expressing confidence in the support of MDoNER, Saha said that the mission would help reduce productivity gaps and establish Tripura pineapple as a recognised global brand.
Tripura Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath also spoke at the event and thanked MDoNER for initiating the programme.
During the launch, MDoNER Secretary Sanjay Jaju outlined the mission’s implementation framework and emphasised the need for a mission-mode approach to unlock the economic potential of Tripura Queen Pineapple.
Jaju stated that smallholder growers currently receive only Rs. 6 to Rs. 10 per kilogram at the farmgate level, despite processed and export-grade pineapple products fetching significantly higher prices in domestic and international markets.
He noted that the mission seeks to address several structural gaps in the sector, including post-harvest losses, lack of integrated cold-chain systems, limited commercial-scale processing facilities and weak GI monetisation mechanisms.
The programme will also include GI authorisation workshops, organic certification support, buyer-seller meets, export-readiness initiatives and annual flagship events such as the “Tripura Queen Pineapple Festival” aligned with International Pineapple Day on June 27.
Officials said the broader objective of the mission is to transform Tripura Queen Pineapple into a globally recognised premium agricultural brand while strengthening sustainable livelihoods and export-oriented economic growth in the state.
The launch programme was attended by officials from MDoNER and the Government of Tripura, along with farmers, entrepreneurs, investors and industry stakeholders.
