SHILLONG, July 11: Meghalaya is showcasing its growing pineapple economy before national retailers and exporters, highlighting how a fruit that fetches around ₹12 a kg at the farm gate can be processed into products worth up to ₹1,500 a kg in international markets.
The message came at the inauguration of the fourth Meghalaya Pineapple Festival at Dilli Haat on July 10, where Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Union DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia pitched the state’s premium organic pineapples as a success story in value addition and market linkages. Around 50 farmers and 50 entrepreneurs from Meghalaya are participating in the three-day festival.
From the hills of Meghalaya to the Haat of Dilli…! 🍍
Delighted to inaugurate the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival today along with my dear friend and Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri @SangmaConrad ji.
I urge everyone to visit this vibrant festival celebrating the… pic.twitter.com/djIonfetFO
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) July 10, 2026
Sangma said the festival has evolved beyond a harvest celebration into a platform that connects farmers directly with organised retailers, food processors, e-commerce companies and export houses.
Meghalaya cultivates pineapples on more than 12,600 hectares, producing over 1.4 lakh metric tonnes annually. The state’s organically grown Kew variety, known for its high sweetness of around 18° Brix, has emerged as one of Meghalaya’s flagship horticultural products.
The government said sustained investment in processing and marketing has significantly increased returns. Besides freeze-dried pineapple fetching close to ₹1,500 a kg in Europe, individually quick frozen (IQF) pineapple is sold at up to ₹640 a kg, underscoring the gains from value addition over raw fruit sales.
The state’s pineapple sector is now supported by more than 500 farmer cooperatives, bringing together nearly one lakh growers. Among the success stories is the Jirang Organic Agro Farmer Producer Company in Ri-Bhoi, whose 433 farmers supply produce to Lulu Group, Reliance Retail, Safal and Blinkit. The FPO also operates Meghalaya’s first aseptic pineapple pulp unit.
Meghalaya’s pineapples are already reaching markets in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Sharjah. Last month, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman flagged off a two-tonne consignment of organic pineapples from Jirang to Lulu Retail in Dubai. The state now aims to bring one lakh hectares under organic cultivation by 2028.
Since its launch in 2023, the festival has expanded steadily. Last year’s edition resulted in marketing tie-ups with Reliance Fresh, Amazon Karigar and Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, reflecting the event’s growing role in opening new markets for Meghalaya’s farm produce.
