In a major push to strengthen Tripura’s pineapple sector and enhance farmers’ income, the Centre and the Tripura government have launched ‘Mission Queen Pineapple, Tripura’, a three-year project worth Rs 236 crore aimed at improving cultivation, processing, branding and exports of the state’s famed Queen Pineapple.

The project was launched in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia, Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath.

Addressing the launch event, Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath said Tripura’s unique agro-climatic conditions make it one of India’s leading pineapple-producing states, with large-scale cultivation of Queen and Kew pineapple varieties, primarily by tribal farmers.

“The Queen Pineapple, Tripura’s state fruit, carries a Geographical Indication (GI) tag and is known for its aroma, golden-yellow colour and low-fibre texture, making it distinct from competing varieties,” Nath said.

Despite its premium quality and export potential, the minister noted that farmers currently receive farm-gate prices ranging between Rs 6 and Rs 10 per kilogram, while processed and export-quality Queen Pineapple can fetch Rs 80 to Rs 150 per kilogram in domestic and international markets.

He highlighted that Tripura’s Queen Pineapple is widely regarded as among the finest in the country due to its sweetness, aroma and nutritional value.

The variety contains vitamins A, B and C, along with minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. It also has a sweetness level ranging between 13 and 17.2 degree Brix, giving it a balanced sweet-tart flavour.

Nath said the export journey of Tripura’s Queen Pineapple began in 2018 with shipments to Dubai and later expanded to Qatar, Oman and Bangladesh. Processed pineapple products have also reached markets in Germany and Russia.

The project, titled “Pineapple Cultivation and Value Chain Development”, will be implemented from FY 2026 to FY 2028 and aims to address structural challenges limiting the commercial potential of Queen Pineapple.

The Rs 236-crore project funding will include Rs 145 crore from the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), Rs 30 crore from the Ministry of Agriculture, Rs 25 crore from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Rs 20 crore from the Tripura government, Rs 4 crore from APEDA, and contributions from the Ministries of Industry and Commerce, MSME and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

The initiative has been structured around three major components — cultivation management, post-harvest management and processing, and branding and marketing.

The minister said the project will adopt a multi-ministerial coordination model to strengthen the pineapple value chain from farm to market.

He also pointed to a major economic opportunity linked to pineapple leaves, which are currently discarded by farmers.

“The leaves that our pineapple farmers throw away today have an economic value of nearly Rs 1,483 crore. This initiative seeks to convert agricultural waste into economic opportunity using the same land, crop and farmer base,” Nath said.

The government expects the project to significantly enhance farmer earnings, improve export competitiveness and position Tripura’s GI-tagged Queen Pineapple as a premium global agricultural brand.