The third edition of the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival was inaugurated on Friday at the Dilli Haat in New Delhi. Organised by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of Meghalaya, the festival aims to position the state's agricultural growth story in the national spotlight. The event was inaugurated by Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the presence of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, along with senior officials from both the central and state governments. A key highlight of the event was the signing of three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) by the Government of Meghalaya with Reliance Fresh, Amazon Karigar, and Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters. These agreements are expected to scale up procurement, visibility, and national distribution of Meghalaya’s agricultural products. “The products of Meghalaya are almost fully organic. By marketing them well and adding value, you have shown, for the third year, that Meghalaya’s products are truly special. Jackfruit, fruits, coffee, pineapple, mushrooms—everything is amazing,” said Chouhan. He added: “Today, the air in Delhi feels filled with the fragrance of Meghalaya. The breeze, the atmosphere — everything is touched by the flavour of Meghalaya’s pineapples. I already knew that Meghalaya produces very good pineapples. But after tasting them today, I couldn’t stop eating! I have never tasted pineapples so juicy and sweet before. This sweetness in taste belongs to the soil of Meghalaya.” The Union Minister also commended the efforts of the Meghalaya Government and congratulated the farmers and the Chief Minister. “On behalf of the Government of India, I assure you, Chief Minister ji, whenever Meghalaya calls, the Government of India and the Agriculture Ministry will always stand with you,” he said, while encouraging Delhi residents to visit the festival and experience the taste of Meghalaya’s produce. Focus on Agri Infrastructure and Vision@2032 The event also included the unveiling of Meghalaya’s achievements in the agriculture sector, aligning with its Vision@2032 plan to transform the state into a $16 billion economy. The strategy outlines a five-year plan to enhance farm infrastructure, encourage crop diversification, improve processing and logistics, and raise farmers’ incomes through market-based initiatives. “This is the third edition of Meghalaya Pineapple Festival, and we are very happy that every year this is becoming bigger and better. More importantly, our farmers are getting the necessary exposure and the network they require and they truly deserve,” said Sangma. Briefing the Union Minister, Sangma shared: “Our state produces around 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of pineapples every year, and a large share of this is consumed within the Northeast itself. Over the past few years, we have set up various fruit processing units to enable value addition—not just for pineapples, but also for turmeric, black pepper, and other produce, with the goal of meeting international packaging and quality standards. Our aim is to establish one such unit in each of the 55 blocks of the state, catering to the prominent value chains in the block.” He further added: “The MoUs we have signed today will provide crucial logistics support and help distribute our products across the country. This initiative is not limited to Meghalaya alone—we want to connect fresh produce from across the Northeast to national and international markets.” Export Success and Domestic Reach Over the past three years, Meghalaya has developed more than 27 cold storages, eight processing hubs and logistics facilities, including mobile units and refrigerated trucks. In 2024, over 682 metric tonne of processed pineapples were exported to the EU, Gulf countries, and Southeast Asia. Additionally, more than 150 metric tonne were sold domestically in Indian metros through institutional partnerships. The Meghalaya Pineapple Festival 2025 features curated stalls from multiple farmer cooperatives, live tastings, value-added products, B2B networking, and cultural performances. Musicians from the Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills, under the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (CM-MGMP), will perform at Dilli Haat and India Gate during all three days of the event. A short film titled ‘Meghalaya Agriculture & Horticulture’ was also screened during the event to highlight the state’s initiatives.
