Queen pineapple

According to a common belief the name of the State has originated from "Tripura Sundari" - the presiding deity of the land which is famous as one of the 51 pethos of Hindu Pilgrims. Apart from this traditional view it is believed that originally the land was known as "Tripura" meaning a land adjoining the water. It is fact that in days of yore the boundaries of Tripura was extended up to the Bay of Bengal when its rulers held sway from Garo hills to Arakan.

Tripura is a land of high hills, hillocks, interspersed with rivers and valleys having moderately warm and humid climate, well distributed annual rainfall of 2500 mm. The terrain soil and climate of the State of Tripura are ideally suited for rain-fed Horticulture. Tripura,being endowed with fertile soils, abundant moisture and sub-tropical climate offer immense scope for production of a wide variety of tropical and sub-tropical fruits and vegetables. Fruits like Pineapple, Jackfruit, Orange, Litchi, Cashew nut, Coconut, Lime, and Lemon are produced in abundance. Fruit crops in the State are grown on hillocks, availing the well distributed rainfall without application of any fertilizers or chemicals. Tripura is fortunate to have agricultural as well as climatic conditions suitable for production of a large variety of horticultural crops chief among which include "Queen" and "Kew"; varieties of Pineapple, Oranges, Lichis and Cashew.

Each of these from Tripura is well known in the rest of the country. These Fruit products are free of any chemical residue thus making the fruits of Tripura products of ORGANIC FARMING. Two varieties of Pineapples are available in Tripura during mid-May to mid-September. The varieties are Queen and Kew. Queen Pineapple Fruits are Spiny, golden yellow in color and emits pleasant aroma and flavor at the ripen stage. The fruits are harvested when eyes turns yellow during mid-May to mid-July when the fruit is available. Average weight of fruit varies from 600 Grams to 800 Grams. It possesses all the good Organoleptic qualities. Juice bright yellow color. TSS varies from 10o to 14o brix depending upon the stage of maturity and season. PH 4 to 4.5. Water content 80% to 90%. Sweetness and unique aroma differentiates it with Pineapple of other region of North East India. Kew Pineapple Spineless large size fruit weight varies from 1.5 Kg. to 3 Kg. Highly juicy with TSS content 8° to 12° brix. The colour of Juice is light yellow with considerable aroma and flavor. Highly suitable for canning. Pineapples harvested at half ripe stage can be kept fresh for 1 to 3 weeks at 12° c to 13° c. Farmers have pioneered pineapple cultivation in Tripura. In their traditional lore too, they have carefully preserved a belief. That “pineapple would never betray them”. That, any crop may fail in an unfavourable circumstance, but pineapple is just a viable crop of survival, providing substantial income year after year. This popular belief of the Darlongs, a sub tribe of Mizos, residing in Nalkata area of Kumarghat Block of North Tripura district, 140 km off Agartala, the capital city of Tripura is still instrumental in ensuring bumper pineapple crops in their hamlet. Productivity of pineapple per hectare in Tripura is 18.73 tonnes, which is higher than the national average of 15.80 tonnes. The Dhalai district, another buffer zone of pineapple cultivation records the highest yield per hectare production in the state with 21.88 tonnes, according to Sibnarayan Sen, Director of the state government’s Department of Horticulture.