Shillong, Jul 13: A record 30 tons of fresh pineapples from Meghalaya were sold during the fourth Meghalaya Pineapple Festival held at ‘Dilli Haat’ in New Delhi from July 10 to 12.
According to a government statement, the sale was almost double the 15.4 tons sold in 2025 and nearly four times the 7.7 tons sold during the first Meghalaya Pineapple Festival in Delhi in 2023.
The first edition in 2023 introduced Meghalaya’s premium pineapples to consumers in the national capital. In 2024, the festival started to facilitate institutional partnership. The 2025 edition expanded further with collaborations involving Reliance Fresh, Amazon Karikar and Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters.
Meghalaya produces around 1.4 lakh tons of pineapples annually across nearly 12,600 hectares of farms concentrated in Ri-Bhoi, Garo Hills and parts of Khasi and Jaiñtia Hills. Meghalaya’s pineapple is recognised for its exceptional sweetness, rich aroma, low acidity and a Brix value of 16-18, significantly higher than the national average.
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Through various initiatives, the State government has created an enabling ecosystem centred on farmer collectivisation, processing, branding and marketing. This ecosystem now includes 40 PRIME hubs, of which twelve are operational and supported by over 650 spoke facilities for aggregation, storage and primary processing.
Fresh pineapples sold through organised retail fetch around Rs 22 per kg. Once processed into premium retail packs, churassco pineapple, and export-grade frozen cubes, the same fruit can command prices of up to Rs 1500 per kg. According to the government, farmers integrated into these value chains have recorded income gains of up to 80 per cent.
The Jirang Organic Agro Farmer Producer Company (FPC) in Ri-Bhoi District, which was established in 2017, brings together 433 farmers across 18 villages, nearly 75 per cent of whom are women.
The FPC supplies organised buyers including Lulu Group, Reliance Retail, Safal Mother Dairy and Blinkit. According to the government, the FPC’s revenues jumped from Rs 1.5 lakh in 2017-21 to over Rs 1.17 crore in 2025 demonstrating how collective marketing and value addition can transform rural enterprises.
Through initiatives led by Meghalaya State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB), more than 100 tons of Meghalaya pineapples have already been marketed through organised domestic and international channels. In June 2026, two tons of pineapple consignment were flagged off for Lulu Retail in Dubai, the government informed.
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