Aizawl: In a bid to expand the market outside the state and the country, Mizoram-grown fresh pineapples were on Friday flagged off for the first time to be sold in the international market, an official said.
A total of 230 kilograms of fresh pineapples have made their way to Dubai in United Arab Emirates (UAE) after Deputy Chief Minister Tawnluia flagged off them from Aizawl on Friday, the official said.
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The pineapples were grown by farmers at Sialhawk village in the east Mizoram Khawzawl district.
Speaking on the occasion, Tawnluia, who is also the constituency MLA, said that preparation is going on to export Sialhawk pineapples to Qatar’s capital Doha and Bahrain, an island country in western Asia.
He said that the state government would take steps to construct link roads to all pineapple farms within his constituency and also efforts would be made to find markets for the farmers if they harvest more.
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State horticulture development board vice chairman and ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) legislator F. Lalnunmawia hailed the development as a milestone in the history of Mizoram.
According to horticulture department secretary K. Lalthawmmawia, the pineapples would be bought by Fair Exports (I) Private Limited, a division of Lulu Group International, in Mumbai at Rs 30 per kilogram.
From Mumbai, they will be shipped to Dubai, he said.
He said that another 900 Kgs of pineapples from Sialhawk would also be shipped to Dubai, and 740 kgs each to Qatar and Bahrain within a short time from now.
He said that the farmers have to make constant efforts and maintain quality and value-added pineapples to sustain in the global market.
Villagers of Sialhawk began pineapple cultivation in 2002 and around 320 families harvested 6,400 quintals of pineapples worth Rs.95 lakh last year.
The farmers are hopeful of harvesting 10,000 quintals in the current year.