Mission Queen Pineapple GI-Tag Value Chain

The Union Minister for the Development of the North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and the Chief Minister of Tripura recently launched “Mission Queen Pineapple.” This ₹236 crore initiative will run for three years from 2025 to 2028. The program focuses on promoting Tripura’s Geographical Indication (GI) tagged Queen Pineapple. It builds a comprehensive value chain covering cultivation, processing, branding, and export development. The project aims to improve farmer incomes, create sustainable livelihoods, and establish Tripura as a major hub for high-value horticulture in the global market.

Objectives of Mission Queen Pineapple

• The mission targets the complete integration of the Queen Pineapple value chain, from the farm to foreign markets.
• It focuses on making Tripura’s horticultural products globally competitive through targeted export development strategies.
• The project aims to empower local communities, specifically focusing on women and tribal entrepreneurship in the agriculture sector.
• It seeks to multiply farmer incomes by reducing post-harvest losses and ensuring better direct market linkages.
• The initiative aligns with the central government’s vision of transforming the North Eastern region into an organic and horticultural powerhouse.

Key Components of the Initiative

Post-Harvest Infrastructure

• The government will establish a “Hub and Spoke” model for agricultural infrastructure across the state.
• This network includes building modern cold storage facilities to increase the shelf life of the highly perishable fruit.
• The mission mandates the creation of advanced grading and packaging units to meet international export standards.
• Authorities will implement digital traceability systems to track the fruit from the orchard directly to the end consumer.

Processing and Waste Management

• The initiative plans to revive dormant or underperforming fruit processing units across Tripura.
• A major focus remains on converting pineapple waste into value-added commercial products.
• This waste-to-wealth approach includes extracting bromelain enzymes and producing natural fibers from pineapple leaves for the textile industry.

The Queen Pineapple of Tripura

Characteristics and Status

• The Queen Pineapple received its Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2015, recognizing its unique geographic origin and quality.
• The Government of Tripura declared it as the official State Fruit in 2018.
• This specific variety is known for its bright golden yellow color, pleasant aroma, and exceptional sweetness.
• Farmers cultivate this crop primarily on the tilla (hillock) lands of Tripura, which provide the ideal well-drained soil conditions required for its growth.

Major Pineapple Varieties in India

Administrative and Institutional Framework

• The mission operates on a convergence model, bringing together multiple central and state government ministries.
• The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) provides the primary financial and administrative backing.
• Agencies like the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) assist in facilitating market access for regional agricultural products.
• This multi-agency approach ensures funds from various agricultural and rural development schemes are utilized effectively without duplication.

IASPOINT Booster Facts for UPSC

• Geographical Indication (GI) Tag: The GI tag is governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into force in 2003.
• Nodal Agency for GI: The Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry administers the GI registry in India.
• Pineapple Climate: Pineapple is a tropical plant that thrives in temperatures between 22°C and 32°C, requiring well-distributed rainfall and slightly acidic soils.
• Other GI tags of Tripura: Tripura holds GI tags for products like Tripura Pachra-Rignai (traditional textile) and Matabari Peda (traditional sweet).
• MDoNER: The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region was established in 2001 to coordinate planning, execution, and monitoring of development schemes in the eight North Eastern states.
• PM-FME Scheme: The Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises scheme supports the “One District One Product” (ODOP) approach, which aligns perfectly with promoting localized products like the Queen Pineapple.
• Bromelain: This is a protein-digesting enzyme mixture derived from the stem, fruit, and juice of the pineapple plant, widely used in dietary supplements, meat tenderizers, and topical medical treatments.