Tripura Queen Pineapple Global Festival 2026: ₹11 crore deals signed at Buyer-Seller Meet
Synopsis
At India's first-ever Tripura Queen Pineapple Global Festival, a single Buyer-Seller Meet generated 18 LoIs worth ₹11 crore — a concrete signal that the GI-tagged Queen variety, grown by tribal farmers across 12,000 hectares, is attracting serious commercial interest. Backed by a ₹234-crore government project, Tripura is making a deliberate push to turn a regional fruit into a national and export brand.
Key Takeaways
18 Letters of Intent (LoIs) worth nearly ₹11 crore were signed at the Buyer-Seller Meet on 29 June 2026 in New Delhi .
40 buyers from across India participated, alongside producers, exporters, FPOs, and entrepreneurs.
The meet was inaugurated by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium .
Tripura's Queen pineapple holds a GI tag (since 2014) and is the state's official fruit since 2018 .
Pineapple is cultivated on 12,000 hectares in Tripura with annual output of 1.78 lakh metric tonnes .
A ₹234-crore project backed by the Centre and DoNER is underway to boost processing, marketing, and value addition.
Eighteen Letters of Intent (LoIs) worth nearly ₹11 crore were signed at the Buyer-Seller Meet held during the second day of the Tripura Queen Pineapple Global Festival 2026 in New Delhi on 29 June 2026, marking a significant commercial milestone for the northeastern state's flagship horticultural produce. The meet drew 40 buyers from across India, creating a direct marketplace for producers, exporters, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and entrepreneurs.
Key Developments at the Festival
The Buyer-Seller Meet was inaugurated by Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi. The day's proceedings opened with a live broadcast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat', attended by Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Tripura Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath, Rajya Sabha member Rajib Bhattacharjee, senior government officials, and festival participants.
Deputy General Manager of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Sunita Rai, also participated in the meet, signalling institutional support for the export push.
What the LoIs Mean for Tripura Farmers
The 18 LoIs exchanged during the meet represent the growing confidence of buyers and industry in the quality and export potential of the Queen variety pineapple. Minister Nath said the agreements are expected to open new marketing avenues, improve farmers' income, and strengthen the state's agri-export ecosystem.
'The Tripura Queen Pineapple Global Festival 2026 continues to serve as a vibrant platform for showcasing the state's premium horticultural produce while fostering partnerships among farmers, entrepreneurs, processors, exporters and institutional buyers from across the country,' Minister Nath said.
The Queen Pineapple's Commercial and Cultural Significance
Tripura's Janajati (tribal) farmers cultivate both the Queen and Kew varieties of pineapple. The Queen variety received its Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2014, and in 2018, the Tripura government declared pineapple the official state fruit. Pineapple is currently cultivated across approximately 12,000 hectares in the state, with an annual production of nearly 1.78 lakh metric tonnes.
Dignitaries at the festival stressed the need to strengthen value chains, improve market linkages, expand processing facilities, enhance branding, and promote exports — all aimed at raising farmers' incomes and ensuring sustainable growth of the horticulture sector.
Government Investment and Infrastructure Push
The state government, with financial assistance from the Central government and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), is implementing a ₹234-crore project to strengthen the marketing, processing, and value addition of the GI-tagged Queen pineapple. This is the first-ever Tripura Queen Pineapple Global Festival, inaugurated on 28 June 2026 and running for three days.
With institutional buyers, exporters, and government agencies converging on the festival, Tripura's Queen pineapple appears poised to expand well beyond domestic markets in the months ahead.
Point of View
But the more consequential figure is the ₹234-crore government project running in the background — one that will determine whether this festival momentum translates into durable supply-chain infrastructure. Tripura's Queen pineapple has the GI tag and the geography; what it has historically lacked is cold-chain connectivity and processing capacity to sustain export volumes. A single festival cannot fix that, but it can build buyer confidence if the infrastructure investments actually materialise. The real test will come in the next harvest season, when those 18 LoIs are either converted to firm purchase orders or quietly expire.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Tripura Queen Pineapple Global Festival 2026?
It is India's first-ever festival dedicated to Tripura's GI-tagged Queen variety pineapple, held over three days starting 28 June 2026 in New Delhi. The festival brings together farmers, buyers, exporters, FPOs, and government agencies to promote the commercial and export potential of Tripura's flagship horticultural produce.
How much business was generated at the Buyer-Seller Meet?
The Buyer-Seller Meet on 29 June 2026 resulted in the exchange of 18 Letters of Intent (LoIs) with a cumulative business value of nearly ₹11 crore. A total of 40 buyers from across India participated in the event.
What is the significance of the GI tag for Tripura's Queen pineapple?
The Queen variety pineapple received its Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2014, certifying its unique origin and quality from Tripura. The tag enhances its marketability domestically and internationally, and in 2018, the Tripura government declared pineapple the official state fruit.
What government investment is supporting Tripura's pineapple sector?
The Tripura state government, with Central government support and funding from the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), is implementing a ₹234-crore project to strengthen marketing, processing, and value addition for the GI-tagged Queen pineapple.
Who are the farmers cultivating Queen pineapple in Tripura?
The Queen and Kew varieties of pineapple in Tripura are primarily cultivated by Janajati (tribal) farmers. Pineapple is grown across approximately 12,000 hectares in the state, with an annual production of nearly 1.78 lakh metric tonnes.
