Agartala: The North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) under the Ministry of Development of Northeast Region (DoNER) had undertaken Geographical Indication (GI) certification of 13 products of the region of which the Tripura Queen Pineapple is one.
A GI Awareness Seminar was held on May 26 in Agartala.

The focus of the event was to user-authorize 300 farmers to use GI tagging of the NERAMAC processed certification. The programme was graced by Tripura Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath. Over 200 Queen Pineapple producers attended the event.
Business Northeast spoke to the Managing Director of NERAMAC, Commodore (Cmde) Rajiv Ashok (Retd), about the reason for such certification. He informed me that GI certification helps categorise any produce as unique to a particular geography.

According to him, one cannot use the certification unless certified produce is user-authorized by the GI Registry in Chennai.
“Hopefully, the pricing will improve with time as people’s awareness of GI improves,” he informed.
He said the GI initiative is a significant step towards promoting and protecting the traditional agricultural practices and products of the northeastern region.
The initiative would provide recognition of the unique qualities and reputation of the Tripura Queen Pineapple and protect it from misuse and imitation. He also explained how the authorisation process of farmers would enhance the competitiveness of the products in domestic and international markets and create opportunities for increased income and livelihood.
Speaking on the occasion, Nath shared that the GI initiative is part of the Centre’s broader efforts to promote sustainable agriculture, protect the rights of farmers, and enhance the country's agricultural exports. The initiative has been welcomed by the farming community of Tripura and is expected to boost their morale and confidence in traditional farming practices.
The event was also graced by a GI expert and Padmashri Awardee Dr. Rajni Kant, who spoke about the importance of North Eastern Region (NER) specific Geographical Indication (GI) products and emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to promote NER region-specific GI products.
Kant’s insights shed light on the importance of promoting and protecting NER region-specific GI products which not only protect the unique identity and quality of the products but also create employment opportunities for local communities. The event was also attended by Tripura agriculture secretary Apurba Roy.