Indian pineapples winning hearts abroad

The fruit’s major export destinations last year were the UAE (32.2 per cent), Nepal (22.7 per cent), Qatar (16.6 per cent), Maldives (13.2 per cent) and the US (7.1 per cent)

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India’s pineapple exports rose by almost 100 per cent to $3.26 million during the April-December period in 2021, compared to $1.63 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2013, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The fruit’s major export destinations last year were the UAE (32.2 per cent), Nepal (22.7 per cent), Qatar (16.6 per cent), Maldives (13.2 per cent) and the US (7.1 per cent).

APEDA has also helped expand the export basket to 205 countries. The export target set by APEDA for the current financial year (2021-22) is $23.7 billion, out of which more than 70 per cent, i.e., $17.20 billion, has been achieved till January

India is the fifth largest producer of pineapples in the world with an annual output of about 1.2 million tonnes. The other producers are Thailand, Philippines, Brazil, China, Nigeria, Mexico, Indonesia, Colombia and the US.

Pineapples are grown in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka and Goa and on a smaller scale in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

With the active support of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the government has boosted exports of agricultural products to $20.67 billion in 2020-21 from $0.6 billion in 1986 when it was founded. APEDA has also helped expand the export basket to 205 countries. The export target set by APEDA for the current financial year (2021-22) is $23.7 billion, out of which more than 70 per cent, i.e., $17.20 billion, has been achieved till January.

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