A ₹236 crore initiative titled 'Mission Queen Pineapple, Tripura' was launched in New Delhi on 27 May 2025, aiming to transform the production, processing, and export of the state's prized GI-tagged Queen Pineapple and help smallholder farmers double their income over a three-year period. The project was jointly unveiled by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, and Tripura Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath.

The Income Gap Driving the Mission

At the heart of the initiative is a stark price disparity. According to Agriculture Minister Nath, smallholder pineapple growers in Tripura currently receive farm gate prices of just ₹6 to ₹10 per kg, while processed or export-grade Queen Pineapple commands ₹80 to ₹150 per kg in domestic and international markets. The mission seeks to close this gap by addressing every structural bottleneck in the value chain — from cultivation to branding.

Notably, Tripura's Queen Pineapple already holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag and is recognised for its aromatic intensity, golden-yellow colour, low fibre content, and a sweetness level ranging from 13 to 17.2 degrees Brix. The fruit is rich in vitamins A, B, and C, as well as minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron — attributes that position it as a premium product in global markets.

Funding Structure and Key Stakeholders

The ₹236 crore outlay is spread across multiple central ministries and agencies. The Ministry of DoNER contributes the largest share at ₹145 crore, followed by the Tripura state government at ₹20 crore, the Ministry of Agriculture at ₹30 crore, and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries at ₹25 crore. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) provides ₹4 crore, while the Ministries of Industry and Commerce, MSME, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) each contribute ₹2 crore.

This multi-ministerial coordination model is being described as one of the mission's defining structural features, designed to prevent the siloed implementation that has historically hampered agricultural schemes in the Northeast.

Three-Year Implementation Roadmap

The Detailed Project Report (DPR), titled 'Pineapple Cultivation and Value Chain Development', lays out a three-year roadmap spanning FY 2026 to FY 2028. It is structured around three broad components: Cultivation Management, Post-Harvest Management and Processing, and Branding and Marketing. The goal is to systematically plug every gap that has prevented the Queen Pineapple from realising its premium market potential.

Tripura's pineapple export journey began on 3 June 2018 with shipments to Dubai, subsequently expanding to Qatar, Oman, and Bangladesh. Canned pineapple from the state has also reached Germany and Russia. The mission aims to scale these export corridors significantly over the project period.

Waste-to-Wealth: The Hidden Opportunity

Minister Nath highlighted an often-overlooked economic angle: pineapple leaves, currently discarded as agricultural waste by farmers, have an estimated value of nearly ₹1,483 crore. The mission includes provisions to convert this biomass into commercial products, enabling farmers to extract additional revenue from the same land, the same crop, and the same cultivation cycle.

With nearly 70 per cent of Tripura's geographical area comprising hills and hillocks — locally called 'Tilla' — and the bulk of cultivation carried out by tribal growers, the mission carries significant social equity dimensions alongside its economic targets. Whether the multi-ministry framework can deliver on its ambitious timelines will be closely watched by farming communities across the Northeast.