Agartala: The Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department of Tripura has decided to undertake experimental cultivation of high-value exotic fruits such as mangosteen, rambutan, and avocado for the first time in the state.
Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath, during an inspection visit on Friday, visited the sites where these experimental initiatives are underway at the Horticulture Research Station, Nagicherra.
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“Mangosteen is a very expensive fruit, and avocado is beneficial for diabetic patients,” the minister said.
“These fruits were not cultivated here before, but we have started. We brought two mangosteen saplings from Karnataka. We are also cultivating red and yellow varieties of rambutan. Additionally, there are plans to cultivate kiwi, blueberry, and blackberry.”
The minister added that if farmers successfully grow these fruits in Nagicherra, the government will encourage farmers across the state to cultivate them. Currently, farmers are growing avocados on 46 hectares of land.
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The state has also set a major target for potato production. The minister noted that previously, farmers had to purchase potato seeds from markets in West Bengal and Punjab.
To address this, the Agriculture Department introduced a new method of potato cultivation in 2023–24 using “True Potato Seed,” which now forms part of the MoVCDNER (Tripura Organic) and Tripura State Watershed Management Agency programs.
The goal is to cover nearly half of the state’s 23,746 potato farmers by 2025–26.
Using tissue culture, the government aims to double or triple potato productivity. This year, potato cultivation using the new method will cover approximately 2,512 kani (a local unit of land measurement), with 250 kani dedicated to organic farming.
The ultimate objective is to achieve complete self-sufficiency in potato seed production by 2028–29.
In a separate move, the Agriculture Minister also announced that 40 battery-operated spray machines, along with pesticides and other essential materials, have been provided to betel nut farmers in Jampui Hill to compensate for crop damage.