Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Tripura Chief Minister Prof. (Dr) Manik Saha on Friday jointly launched “Mission Queen Pineapple”, a ₹236 crore convergence-driven programme to boost cultivation, processing, and global marketing of Tripura’s GI-tagged Queen Pineapple.
The three-year mission will run from Q2 FY2026 to Q4 FY2028 and aims to build a complete value chain around the state’s unique fruit. Anchored by MDoNER, the initiative brings together schemes and support from the Ministries of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Food Processing Industries, Commerce, MSME, APEDA, DPIIT, ICAR, CSIR, TRIFED, NERAMAC, and the Tripura government.
‘From Farm to Global Markets’: Scindia
Addressing farmers, processors, and investors who joined virtually, Scindia said the mission aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making the Northeast a hub for high-value agri and horticultural products.
“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, Tripura’s agricultural strengths are being transformed into globally competitive brands,” Scindia said. He stressed that the goal goes beyond cultivation. “Our goal is to build a complete value chain—from farm to global markets—so that farmers become active participants in the prosperity created by their produce.”
The minister pointed out that Tripura’s Queen Pineapple has a distinct aroma, low-fiber texture, and GI recognition, yet farmers still earn commodity-level prices due to poor market linkages and weak infrastructure. Mission Queen Pineapple will close that gap through convergence-led investments and market-focused interventions.
Hub & Spoke Model, Nalkata Unit Revival
The mission will set up a “Hub & Spoke” post-harvest ecosystem. One central hub will come up near Agartala airport, with eight spoke collection centers across major pineapple clusters in West Tripura, Khowai, and Sepahijala districts. Planned infrastructure includes grading units, cold storage, reefer vans, solar cold storage, IoT-based farm monitoring, and digital traceability systems.
Scindia also announced the revival of the Nalkata Pineapple Processing Unit through a Viability Gap Funding model. NERAMAC will implement the project with private partners to enable commercial-scale processing and value-added products.
Waste-to-Wealth: Bromelain, Leaf Fiber, GI Confectionery
Highlighting the bio-economy push, the minister said nearly 60% of the pineapple plant is currently wasted. The mission will convert that biomass into bromelain extract, Pineapple Leaf Fiber (PALF), and GI-branded confectionery. These interventions are expected to open new income streams for women SHGs, tribal communities, and rural entrepreneurs, while promoting a circular economy around pineapple farming.
Tripura CM: ‘Naturally Sweet, Chemical-Free’
Chief Minister Manik Saha said pineapple is Tripura’s State Fruit. Both the Queen and Kew varieties grow naturally in the state’s hilly terrain without chemical inputs, making them exceptionally sweet, juicy, and aromatic.
He added that the state government is pushing value addition, food processing, packaging, branding, and market linkages to raise farmer incomes and create rural jobs. With MDoNER’s support, Tripura hopes to bridge productivity gaps and position its pineapple as a global brand.
Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath outlined the mission’s objectives and thanked MDoNER for the initiative.
The launch event included a short film on the Pineapple Mission and interactions with progressive farmers from Tripura, along with remarks from investors and industry representatives.