Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb today flagged off the first consignment of pineapples from the state to be exported to Dubai.
Speaking at the function, Deb said more consignments of pineapples of the state would be exported to foreign countries.
The chief minister said "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a dream of doubling farmers income in the country by 2022. The dream has become a reality here today with export of pineapples."
Deb urged the farmers in the state to plant pineapples and bamboo in land lying unused.
"We have long monsoon here and bamboo grows in abundance. Farmers should plant pineapples, bamboo in any land which is lying unused. We shall issue a notification shortly to plant bamboo in unused private land," he said.
Tripura Agriculture minister, Pranajit Singha Roy said the first consignment of 'Queen' variety of pineapples would reach Dubai on Tuesday.
The state government had on May 18 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Kolkata-based export-import firm, to market Tripuras pineapple in Dubai and other foreign countries.
Singha Roy said Israel, Bahrain and some other countries have asked the state government for 'queen' variety of pineapple.
A discussion is underway with Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to attach a 25 tonne container filled with pineapple with Kanchanjungha Express, which runs from Agartala railway station to Kolkata every week, he said.
"If the products could be sent by train up to Kolkata then cost would come down. From Kolkata the fruits would go to Dubai and other countries of middle east by flight," Singha Roy said. PTI JOY RG RG .
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