After pineapple and lemon, Tripura starts exporting jackfruit

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Agartala, May 21 (IANS) After exporting its juicy pineapples and lemons to Dubai, Tripura on Friday began sending jackfruit to the UK, officials said.

Tripura Horticulture Department Director Dr Fanibhusan Jamatia said that through the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, under the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry, 300 pieces (1,200 kg) of jackfruits were flown to London from Delhi.

"A Guwahati-based export agency through the Tripura Horticulture Department collected the jackfruits from the farmers in Melaghar (in western Tripura's Sepahijala district) and on Thursday, shipped them to Delhi," Jamatia told IANS.

He said that this is a trial consignment and if the exotic produce got the market abroad, more such exports were expected to take place.

Tripura Agriculture and Tourism Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, in a tweet, said: "England to get a taste of Tripura's sweet jackfruits. First time Tripura is exporting jackfruit that has huge potential. First consignment already shipped. After the state's queen pineapples now jackfruits are also in the export list. Kudos to our Farmers, Agriculture & Horticulture Dept."

The procurement agency has paid Rs 30 for each jackfruit to the farmers. The fruit, which has spiky outer green skin jackfruits, are highly nutritious and are grown in Tripura and other northeastern states abundantly.

The seasonal fruit is also smuggled to neighbouring Bangladesh in absence of a proper trading system.

Tripura last year exported exotic and juicy Queen variety of pineapple and lemons to Dubai and Bangladesh. A Horticulture Department official said many other countries, including Israel and Bahrain, had expressed willingness to import pineapple from Tripura.

--IANS

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