GUWAHATI:
In a major boost towards harnessing the export potential of naturally grown fresh pineapples of the Northeastern states, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) on July 23 organised an in-store export promotion programme in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to promote Assam’s pineapples, which are considered the sweetest in the world, among consumers in the Gulf countries.
The organic certified pineapples were directly sourced from the farmers of Assam and showcased at the Lulu Hypermarket in Dubai with assistance from APEDA. The showcased pineapples were procured from Hmarkhawlien village under Lakhipur sub-division in Cachar district of Barak Valley.
The ‘in-store promotion show’ of pineapples from Assam, which was organized in association with Dubai’s largest supermarket group Lulu Group, is part of APEDA’s strategy to promote locally produced agricultural products to the international markets. At the show, consumers were also offered Assam pineapples to taste the sweetness of the fruit.
Speaking on the occasion, APEDA chairman Dr M Angamuthu stressed on promoting a processed form of value-added pineapple from Northeastern states to sustain in the global export market for a longer period.
“We need to focus on promoting pineapple sourced from farmers in processed form in the Gulf countries in collaboration with private entities including Lulu Group. It will help farmers in better price realization of their produce,” Angamuthu said, adding that 10-15 aggregators should be identified for expediting hassle-free export from Northeastern states.
The region is geopolitically important as it shares international boundaries with China and Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal and Bangladesh making the Northeast a potential hub for the export of agricultural produce to neighbouring countries as well as other foreign destinations.
With a production of 338.98 metric tonne in 2020-21, Assam ranks second in pineapple production having a share of 18.75 per cent in total production in India. Before it made its pineapple export debut in 2019, Tripura was the first Northeastern state to export its ‘queen’ variety of pineapple to Dubai and Doha in 2018.
The top ten countries that import Indian pineapples are UAE, Nepal, Qatar, Maldives, USA, Bhutan, Belgium, Iran, Bahrain and Oman. A quantity of 7665.42 MT of pineapples valued at USD 4.45 million was exported in the year 2021-22.
With the intervention of APEDA, there has been a significant increase in the export of agricultural produce from Northeastern states like Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Meghalaya in the last few years.
The Northeast witnessed an 85.34 per cent growth in the export of agricultural products in the last six years as it increased from USD 2.52 million in 2016-17 to USD 17.2 million in 2021-22. The major destination of export has been Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Middle East, the UK and Europe.
APEDA aims at creating a platform in Assam for the exporters to get the products directly from the producer group and the processors. The platform will link the producers and processors of Assam and exporters from other parts of the country to expand the base of the export pockets in the Northeastern states, including Assam and increase the employment opportunities among the people of the state.