4th Meghalaya Pineapple Festival Opens in New Delhi

2026-07-12 08:37:49 Events / Trade Shows

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Mumbai / New Delhi, July 11, 2026: The remarkable journey of one of the country's finest pineapples took centre stage in the national capital today as the 4th Meghalaya Pineapple Festival was inaugurated at Dilli Haat, New Delhi. More than a celebration of a fruit, the festival has evolved into Meghalaya's flagship platform for connecting farmers directly with organised retail, exporters, food processors, institutional buyers and consumers, while successfully positioning its world-renowned pineapples into domestic and international markets.

The festival was inaugurated by Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon'ble Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region and Communications, in the presence of Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, senior government officials, industry leaders, retailers, entrepreneurs, exporters and farmer collectives from across the State.

Organised by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Government of Meghalaya, the three-day Festival from July 10-12, 2026 celebrates Meghalaya's premium-quality pineapples, renowned for their rich aroma, low acidity and exceptional sweetness, with a Brix value of 16–18, significantly higher than the national average. Cultivated across the rain-fed hills and valleys of Ri Bhoi, Garo Hills, Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, pineapple cultivation supports thousands of farming households and has emerged as one of Meghalaya's most important horticultural success stories.

A major highlight of the inauguration was the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Flipkart and the National E-Market Services Limited (NeML), strengthening new marketing and distribution channels for Meghalaya's pineapple growers while expanding their access to organised retail, institutional buyers and digital marketplaces across India.

Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon'ble Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region and Communications, said, “Meghalaya is truly a jewel- a diamond and an emerald among the 36 States and Union Territories of the country. Meghalaya's remarkable transformation under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Conrad K. Sangma is a shining example of how visionary governance, community participation and farmer-centric policies can together create sustainable economic growth. Today, the sweetness, rich aroma, low acidity and high Brix content of Meghalaya's pineapples have earned them recognition far beyond the State and the country, reaching premium markets across the world.”

Praising initiatives such as CM FARM+, MLAMP and the Meghalaya State Organic Mission, he stated that Meghalaya is building globally competitive value chains that place farmers at the centre of development. He added, “Meghalaya has many jewels to offer the world, from its exceptional pineapples and Lakadong turmeric to its unique culture and warm hospitality, and I am confident that these will continue to strengthen the State's identity on the global stage.”

Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, said, “Our objective is simple- to ensure that every partnership we build and every market we open ultimately translates into higher incomes, stronger livelihoods and better opportunities for the people of Meghalaya."

He added, “Over the past four years, the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival has evolved from being a celebration of one of our finest fruits into a platform that showcases the very best of Meghalaya- our farmers, entrepreneurs, self-help groups, artisans, musicians and our vibrant culture. Every edition has been an effort to make the Festival bigger, better and more impactful, and the overwhelming response from people across the country has encouraged us to keep raising the bar.”

Shri Sangma said, “Today, the North East is no longer viewed through the lens of backwardness, but as one of India's fastest-growing economic regions. Through initiatives like the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival and partnerships with organisations such as Flipkart, Amazon, Safal and other leading market players, supported by institutions including ADB, the World Bank, IFAD and other development partners, we are building sustainable value chains that create lasting opportunities for our farmers, entrepreneurs, women-led self-help groups and youth.”Bottom of Form

The festival comes at a time when Meghalaya is rapidly strengthening its position as one of India's leading producers of premium-quality pineapples. In recent years, the State's pineapples have gained national and international recognition, including being presented by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to the President of the United Arab Emirates during his official visit, showcasing Meghalaya's agricultural heritage on the global stage.

The festival reflects Meghalaya's broader vision of making agriculture a driver of inclusive economic growth through an integrated value-chain transformation. The dignitaries also released “Meghalaya Pineapple: A Four-Edition Journey,” chronicling the remarkable evolution of the festival since its launch in 2023. In just four editions, it has grown from a promotional initiative into one of India's most successful agricultural branding platforms, with fresh pineapple consignments to New Delhi doubling from 7.7 metric tonnes during the inaugural edition to more than 15 metric tonnes in 2025, while simultaneously creating stronger institutional linkages between producers, retailers and consumers.

Through initiatives led by the Meghalaya State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB), more than 100 metric tonnes of pineapples have been marketed and exported through organised domestic and international channels. The latest milestone came in June 2026, when Hon'ble Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman flagged off a 2-metric-tonne consignment of Meghalaya pineapples to Lulu Retail, Dubai, reinforcing the State's growing presence in international markets.

Supporting this transformation is an expanding ecosystem of 40 PRIME Hubs, with 12 already operational, over 650 spoke facilities supporting processing, storage and aggregation, and the Community Public-Private Partnership (CPPP) model, alongside farmer-owned enterprises such as the Jirang Organic Agro Farmer Producer Company (FPC). Today, the FPC connects 433 farmers across 18 villages, nearly 75 percent of whom are women, with organised domestic and international buyers including Lulu Group, Reliance Retail, Safal-Mother Dairy and Blinkit. Its revenues have grown from ₹1.5 lakh during 2017–21 to over ₹1.17 crore in 2025, demonstrating how farmer collectivisation, value addition and assured market access can transform rural livelihoods.

The fiscal impact is equally compelling. While fresh pineapples fetch roughly ₹22 per kilogram in organised retail, value addition through premium fresh retail, cooked churrasco pineapple, export-grade frozen pineapple cubes and upcoming freeze-dried variants has progressively increased value by around 25 per cent, over 186 per cent, nearly 700 per cent and up to ₹1,500 per kilogram—representing nearly a seventy-fold increase in value. This remarkable shift towards value addition has boosted the incomes of linked farmers by up to 80 percent, demonstrating how strategic investments in processing, branding and market access can dramatically enhance returns from agriculture.

The Festival also showcased Meghalaya's vibrant cultural heritage through live performances under the Chief Minister's Meghalaya Grassroots Music Program (MGMP), reflecting the State's unique approach of integrating agriculture, entrepreneurship, tourism and culture into a single platform for sustainable development.

The 4th Meghalaya Pineapple Festival will continue till 12 July 2026 at Dilli Haat, New Delhi, welcoming consumers, retailers, exporters, hospitality professionals and businesses to experience Meghalaya’s finest pineapples while engaging directly with the farmers and entrepreneurs driving one of India's most compelling agricultural success stories.