Boko: Farmers in many villages in the Boko area of Assam are thriving through pineapple farming, which has become a crucial horticultural activity in the region, significantly boosting their economic well-being.
To further support these farmers and generate employment, Kamrup District Commissioner Keerthi Jalli laid the foundation stone for a pineapple processing unit for the Boko Pineapple Farmer Producer Company (FPC) Ltd. The event took place at Gamerimura in Boko, Kamrup, on Saturday.
The pineapple processing unit is funded under the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCD-NER) Scheme of the Directorate of Horticulture and Food Processing, Assam.
The total approved budget for the unit is Rs 34.87 lakh, including a Rs 25 lakh government subsidy. Additionally, the Kamrup District Administration has allotted one bigha of government land to the Boko Pineapple FPC on lease through the Agriculture Department for establishing the processing unit.
Speaking at the event, District Commissioner Jalli expressed optimism about the positive impact of the processing unit on the farmers. She hopes it will enable them to export their products internationally in the near future.
The Boko Pineapple Farmer Producer Company Limited was formed in 2016 with support from the Directorate of Horticulture & Food Processing, Assam, and was subsequently taken under MOVCD-NER in 2019. Since then, the FPC has been successfully producing certified organic pineapples, covering an area of 1,000 hectares. The company’s turnover for the fiscal year 2023-24 was Rs 70,00,000.
Residents of Gamerimura and nearby villages, including Jakuapara, Sukuniapara, Bamunigaon, Joypur, Langapara, Christianipara, Kodompara, Gongrapara, Bakapara, Kaulipara, and many others, are involved in pineapple cultivation. The Gamerimura weekly market on Fridays is famous for its pineapples. Niten Rabha, General Secretary of the Gamerimura Market and a pineapple grower, stated that more than ten thousand pineapples are sold daily in the Gamerimura area. Rabha emphasized that pineapple growers earn around Rs 20 lakh per year, with June to September and October to December being the peak months for sales.
Manash Protim Mahanta, Sub-Divisional Agriculture Development Officer, Kamrup, who also attended the event, informed that the organic pineapples produced by the FPC are currently being sent to markets outside the state, including West Bengal, Karnataka, Hyderabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat. Once the food processing unit is completed, it will enable the FPC to produce various value-added products like jelly, jam, juice, and canned slices, helping them access international markets as well.
Additionally, under the MOVCD-NER scheme, the Boko Pineapple FPC has set up 500 vermicompost units for 500 beneficiaries at a total cost of Rs 18,75,000. The FPC has also been provided with vermiwash units, two collection centres, and tractors under the MOVCD-NER scheme to date.
Dear Reader,
Every day, our team at EastMojo travels through rain, rough roads, and remote hills to bring you stories that matter – stories from your town, your people, your Northeast.
We do this because we believe in truthful, independent journalism. No big corporate backing, no government pressure – just honest reporting by local journalists who live and breathe the same air you do.
But to keep doing this work, we need you. Your small contribution helps us pay our reporters fairly, reach places others ignore, and keep asking the tough questions.
If you believe the Northeast deserves its own fearless voice, stand with us.
Support independent journalism. Be a Member.
Thank you,
Karma Paljor
Editor-in-Chief, eastmojo.com
Hitesh Deka, Sub-divisional Agriculture Officer, Boko, stated that the processing unit will be operational within 8 to 9 months. He also mentioned that the pineapples from Gamerimura are fully organic and of the ‘Kew’ variety, known for their juiciness.
It is noteworthy that the total area under pineapple cultivation in Kamrup district is around 2,563 hectares, with an annual production of approximately 52,000 tons.
Also Read | When is the best time to harvest Assam Tea for optimal quality?