Pineapple woes worsen with soured Indo-Nepal relations

First the lockdown and now the soured Indo-Nepal relations have added to the problems of pineapple growers of North Bengal. With pineapples being cultivated in over 20,000 hectares in the Bidhannagar area of Siliguri and Islampur and Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district and most of it being exported to Nepal, the tension between the two nations has thrown a wrench in the cross-border trade of pineapples causing huge loss to the farmers.

Siliguri/Raiganj (WB): The Indo-Nepal relations have recently run into rough weather over a map dispute. Both countries have started deploying additional troops along the border as tensions mounted. And all that has had its effect on the cultivation and export of pineapples from North Bengal to the neighbouring country.

Pineapple is cultivated in over 20,000 hectares in the Bidhannagar area of Siliguri and Islampur and Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district. Most of the produce is exported to Nepal as food processing units across the border are the prime takers. The recent tension between the two countries have put a spanner in the cross-border trade of pineapples causing huge loss to the farmers.

Cultivation of this citrus fruit was already facing tough times amid the COVID-19 lockdown. During the initial lockdown period, lack of transportation also posed a major problem for pineapple cultivators. With over a lakh of people directly and indirectly involved in cultivation of pineapples, the lockdown had already spelt trouble for most of them. Apart from Nepal, pineapples of North Bengal usually travel to many parts of India, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states. All routine consignments to other states have been cancelled due to disruption in the supply chain.

As production figures outnumbered demand, farmers refused to pluck pineapples and left the fruit to rot in the fields as the whole proposition became unremunerative.

“There has been a bumper crop of pineapples over 20,000 hectares of land, but lack of transportation has been a major bottleneck. We have appealed to the Centre that if pineapples are allowed to be stored in cold storages, then it will be of some help to the producers. The food processing units also need to respond soon,” said Arun Mondal, a member of the local Pineapple Producers' Association.

Mondal also stressed that the Association has decided not to put anything above the interest of the nation. “If need be, we will accept the loss, but will not let down the country,” he said on the Indo-Nepal dispute and its impact on the export of pineapples.

The Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ICCI) has sought financial relief for the pineapple growers of North Bengal in the present situation.

“The fruit as well as food processing industry has not grown much in North Bengal. Till now, the pineapple market was entirely dependent on the outside market. At one side there was the lockdown and on the other side, the uncertainty over Indo-Nepal relations has virtually halted all exports to that country. The local markers, including the regulated market, are also closed in and around Siliguri. We have proposed to the Centre for financial aid to the affected pineapple farmers,” said Nishant Mittal, president of the North Bengal chapter of ICCI.