Shillong: After two successful editions of one of the country’s sweetest celebrations, the third edition of the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival was inaugurated on Friday at the iconic Dilli Haat in New Delhi, bringing Meghalaya’s agricultural success story to the heart of the national capital.
The festival 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 the Government of India and the Government of Meghalaya. The event drew attention not just for its prized fruit, but for the larger promise it holds for India’s farming future.
Marking a significant step towards building structured agri-market linkages, the Government of Meghalaya signed three major Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Reliance Fresh, Amazon Karigar, and Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters to scale procurement, visibility, and national distribution of Meghalaya’s 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, praising Meghalaya’s value chain approach.
“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 lauded the efforts of the Government of Meghalaya and congratulated all the farmers, especially the Chief Minister, for his relentless efforts. He added, “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 also urged Delhi residents to visit the festival and experience the spirit of Meghalaya through the taste of one of the juiciest and sweetest pineapples in the country.
The event also witnessed the unveiling of Meghalaya’s Achievement in the Agriculture Sector, aligning with the state’s broader Vision@2032 strategy of transforming Meghalaya into a $16 billion economy. This vision includes a five-year roadmap to strengthen farm infrastructure, promote crop diversification, enhance processing and logistics, and boost farmer incomes through market-based models.
“This is the third edition of the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival, and we are very happy that every year it is becoming bigger and better,” said CM Conrad K. Sangma. “More importantly, our farmers are getting the necessary exposure and the network they require—and truly deserve.”
Briefing the Union Minister, Sangma stated, “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 each block.”
Sangma 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.”
Over the past three years, Meghalaya has invested in more than 27 cold storages, 8 processing hubs, and logistics support including mobile units and refrigerated trucks. In 2024 alone, over 682 metric tonnes of processed pineapples were exported to the EU, Gulf, and Southeast Asia. A growing domestic market has also emerged, with over 150 metric tonnes sold across Indian metros through institutional partnerships.
This year’s Pineapple Festival features curated stalls from various cooperatives of Meghalaya, live tastings, value-added products, B2B interactions, and cultural performances by musicians from the Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills, presented under the flagship Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (CM-MGMP). Notably, musicians from CM-MGMP will perform at both Dilli Haat, INA and India Gate across all three days of the festival starting today.
A short film on ‘Meghalaya Agriculture & Horticulture’ was also screened during the event.
Organised by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of Meghalaya, the Pineapple Festival has evolved into a flagship platform for celebrating natural farming, empowering farmers, and positioning the Northeast as a key player in India’s agri-economy.
The Meghalaya Pineapple Festival 2025 is open to the public at Dilli Haat, INA, from 11 AM to 8:45 PM daily until August 3. Entry is free.
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