Tripura's Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Saturday, 27 June 2026 inaugurated the Tripura Global Pineapple Festival 2026 in New Delhi, calling it a platform to advance Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Vocal for Local' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. The three-day festival is designed to project Tripura's agricultural strengths, cultural heritage, and export potential to delegates from across India and abroad.

What the Festival Aims to Achieve

Minister Nath described the festival's core objective as taking Tripura's world-famous pineapple to national and international markets, while simultaneously spotlighting the state's tourism potential, bamboo sector, and other emerging industries. The event features cultural programmes showcasing Tripura's traditions and diverse heritage, offering delegates a window into the state's identity beyond agriculture.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Sukanta Majumdar were present at the inaugural function, underscoring the Centre's involvement in elevating the northeastern state's profile.

The Queen Pineapple: GI Tag and Export Journey

At the heart of the festival is Tripura's Queen variety pineapple, cultivated primarily by Janajati (tribal) farmers of the state alongside the Kew variety. The Queen variety received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2014, and in 2018, the Tripura government officially declared pineapple the state fruit.

The Queen variety is distinguished by its exceptional sweetness, rich aroma, superior taste, and a notably longer shelf life that makes it resistant to rapid spoilage — a critical advantage for export logistics. According to Minister Nath, since 2018, Tripura has exported approximately 33 metric tonnes of pineapple to destinations including Dubai, Qatar, Oman, and Bangladesh, with container consignments also reaching Germany and Russia. Domestically, nearly 15,000 metric tonnes have been supplied to states including Assam, Karnataka, West Bengal, Delhi, and Odisha.

₹234 Crore Project and Bromelain Plants

The state government, with financial support from the Central Government and the Ministry of DoNER, is implementing a ₹234 crore project focused on the marketing, processing, and value addition of the GI-tagged Queen pineapple. As part of this initiative, two bromelain extraction plants are planned — one in Agartala and one in Gomati district — each projected to generate annual revenue of approximately ₹12 crore to ₹18 crore.

Bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapple, has significant demand in pharmaceutical, food processing, and nutraceutical industries globally, positioning Tripura to tap a high-value downstream market beyond raw fruit exports.

Act East Policy and Agricultural Progress

Minister Nath credited the Centre's Act East Policy as a key driver behind the transformation of Tripura's agriculture sector since 2014. He said the policy had played a significant role in integrating northeastern produce into global supply chains, with Tripura's pineapple now recognised in international markets. The state's favourable climate, he noted, provides ideal conditions for pineapple cultivation, making its varieties among the finest produced anywhere in India.

This comes amid a broader push by the Centre to develop the northeastern region as an agricultural and trade corridor, particularly with Southeast and South Asian neighbours. The Tripura Global Pineapple Festival is positioned as a flagship event within that framework, with the next steps likely to include expanded export agreements and processing infrastructure rollout.