Pineapple farmers face export crisis in West Bengal

Reeling under heavy losses, the pineapple farmers in West Bengal have urged the authorities to take steps to improve the functioning of a recently constructed export zone.

The pineapple growers have suffered huge losses of late even after a bumper yield of the crop in Bidhannagar.

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Secretary of North Bengal Pineapple Growers Welfare Society, Animesh Mandal, said the state government had constructed an export zone in the area, but was yet to take any step to run it properly, augmenting to the woes of the farmers.

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"Farmers are not earning enough from the yield of pineapples, hence this deputation. Owing to meager prices of pineapples, farmers are suffering losses. Planting a pineapple tree costs around 15 rupees, but the farmers earn only four to five rupees each fruit. We would like the state government to support us in our hour of need," said Mandal.

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Mandal added that the farmers had invested a lot, but they suffered huge losses during the sale securing only quarter price of the total investment.

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The members of North Bengal Pineapple Growers Welfare Society submitted a memorandum to the President of Siliguri sub division, demanding immediate response of the state government in regard to the export zone.

The pineapples from Bidhannagar have a lucrative demand by virtue of their taste and flavor across the nation as well as in Nepal and Bhutan. There are 2,500 orchards of pineapples in the city.