Assam pineapples headed for Dubai

For the first time, a consignment of 15 metric tonnes of pineapples has been exported in a refrigerator truck from Lakhipur in Cachar district to the global market in Dubai.

Themove has been initiated by the Directorate of Horticulture, Assam and executedthrough the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export DevelopmentAuthority (APEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government ofIndia.

The Cachar Deputy Commissioner Laya Madduri flagged off the maiden export and shared her happiness saying "if the effort pays off in the global arena, I hope that the sweet taste of the fruit from Cachar shall bring smiles for all of us."

The sweetness and unique aroma differentiate it from pineapples of other states of the Northeast.  If the pilot test works, new vistas will open for around 2000 farmers of the region engaged in organic cultivation.

Thepineapple variety is cultivated across 1500 hectares of land in the districtwith an average production of 40,000 metric tonnes during the May-July seasonevery year.