The Tripura Government has laid great emphasis on programmes for development of horticulture like production and distribution of quality seeds and planting materials and transfer improved technology through training and extending support to the fruit growers of the State. Experiments are being conducted to increase the productivity of pineapples at the Horticultural Research Centre at Nagicherra, in West Tripura district. These experiments include high density planting and use of hormones for obtaining the best results.

    Preliminary results indicate the possibility of advancing the availability of pineapples by about two months before the normal season. During 1999-2000, pineapples were grown in 4,697 hectares and the output touched 42,273 tons throughout the State. Tripura’s pineapples in general and the queen variety in particular are regarded as one of the best quality fruits not only in the country but also all over the world, says the horticulture officials.

    The Tripura Small Scale Industries (TSSI) and NERAMAC, one of the biggest fruit processing centre in Asia, use pineapples for manufacturing juice, jelly and concentrates. The biggest fruit processing units in Bangladesh, PRAN also uses the pineapples of Tripura for manufacturing its products. Truckloads of pineapples go to Bangladesh following the border trade agreement between India and Bangladesh a few years ago. If one travels through the Jampui hill, the abode of eternal spring, and Sakhan range in the northern parts of Tripura in winter, one will find the landscapes with an excellent combination of green and yellow colours reflected by the fruits. So is the case with Tripura’s oranges . They grow in such abundance that sometimes leaves are not seen in the maze of yellow, ripe and juicy fruits. Ngurzuala Sailo, a septuagenarian old man in Bhangmun village of Jampui Hill is a happy man with his orange orchard of six acres. He says he owns more than 12,000 orange trees in his gardens which earn him more than one lakh rupees annually without any worry which is enough for him to eke out not only his own living but his family as well. The ten villages of the Hills predominantly inhabited by Mizo tribes who have their own orange growers’ society, distribute land to the villagers for growing oranges. The main source of income of the hill people in Jampui and Sakhan ranges is from oranges which cover 5,427 hectares area of the State. They are more affluent than the other tribes of the State.

    Jackfruit is another major fruit grown in Tripura. It is available throughout the State. The Jackfruit plantation covers 8,929 hectares Its production has risen to 2,50,021 tons. The fruit and seeds are consumed by the people while the outer shell of the fruit is eaten by cattle. The leaves of the tree serve as good fodder and the tree provides good quality of timber. At present, the State Government has taken initiative to plant the trees in waste lands which may prove to be a good source of income for the farmers with minimum labour.

    Mango is also an important fruit of Tripura. Last year mango production touched 22,300 tons.

    Coconut is grown in every part of the State and covers 9,184 hectares of the land. The total production was 81,084 tons last year. The production of quality planting materials in government orchards and nurseries increased from 10.62 lakh in 1998-1999 to 11.86 lakh in 1999-2000. The target of production during 2000-2001 is 22.00 lakh. Similarly, the distribution of fruit plants has gone up from a level of 8.12 lakh in 1998-99 to 13.70 lakh in 2000-2001.

    The State Government is now formulating a 10-year perspective Plan for horticultural development of identified fruits on area-approach basis. According to an official of horticulture department, a pilot project is to be implemented during 2001-2002 as a forerunner to the proposed perspective plan.