Meghalaya’s Pineapple finds its way to Dubai’s super malls

Shillong: Meghalaya boasts a diverse array of agro-climatic conditions that yield a rich variety of agricultural and horticultural products. These crops are cultivated by local communities using traditional methods, resulting in largely organic produce.

This unique blend of factors has led to increasing recognition for the state's produce, exemplified by items like Lakadong turmeric, Khasi mandarin with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, and Kew pineapples, which are gaining significant popularity.

In recent times, Meghalaya's pineapples have been garnering increased attention. Notably, these pineapples stand out due to their low pesticide and heavy metal residue compared to those from mainland India.

Their taste is characterized by being less sour and notably sweeter, with a Brix value of 16-18, indicating their sweetness level.

Notably, pineapples play a central role in the One District One Product initiative in Ri Bhoi and East Garo Hills districts of Meghalaya.

A source of immense pride for the state is the presence of Meghalaya's sweetest pineapples at the Al-Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration. These pineapples, marketed by the prestigious Lulu Group, have successfully entered the Gulf markets. The journey of these pineapples from the fertile slopes of Garo Hills to the sandy shores of the UAE has been both challenging and rewarding. This feat is a collaborative effort between the Jamge Integrated Village Cooperative Society (IVCS) from Songsak C&RD Block in East Garo Hills district, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, and the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA).

The Jamge IVCS, uniting over 250 farming households across four villages, produces nearly 100 tonnes of pineapples during the growing season. This cooperative serves as a model of successful collectivization, effectively doubling farmers' incomes. Previously receiving a mere INR 10 per pineapple regardless of its weight, farmers now earn INR 16 per kilogram through international market linkages, equivalent to around INR 21 per fruit with an average weight of 1.3 kilograms. This intervention has more than doubled the price realization for farmers.

Recognizing the potential of processing perishable horticultural produce, such as pineapples, the Meghalaya government aims to extend shelf-life and access broader markets. Collaborative efforts are underway to enhance processing capacity and infrastructure through local farmer collectives. For instance, the partnership between Karnataka-based IQF Private Food Limited and Umdihar IVCS in Ri Bhoi district has established a mobile processing unit for quick freezing of pineapples, facilitated by the state's Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department. In its initial three weeks of operation, this unit processed over 52 metric tonnes of pineapples.

The government has also fostered a closer supply chain arrangement with Reliance, where pineapples are regularly delivered to Reliance Retail stores in Assam. Farmer collectives like Tomonpo Anglong Organic Producer Company Ltd, Umwang Pyllun IVCS Ltd, and Jirang Organic Agro Producer Company Ltd from Ri Bhoi undergo training from the department to aggregate, grade, sort, and package pineapples for consistent shipment. To date, over 5.2 metric tonnes of pineapples from these collectives have been supplied to Reliance stores in Assam within three weeks. Similar initiatives, like the Ringgi Demdema Organic Farmer Producer Company from West Garo Hills, have facilitated the shipment of 12 metric tonnes to Varanasi through 'DeHaat Seeds to Market.'

These interventions extend beyond pineapples and encompass other crops such as Lakadong turmeric, ginger, Khasi mandarin, honey, and black pepper. Over the past three years, the government's focus has been on driving community-led transformation in the agriculture sector. This involves mobilizing farmers to form collectives, providing high-quality planting materials, offering training in good agricultural practices, building infrastructure for value addition and post-harvest management, and facilitating vital market connections.

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