New Delhi, August 3 : The third edition of the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival 2025, held at Dilli Haat, INA, concluded after a three-day event showcasing Meghalaya’s pineapples, farmer-centric initiatives, and strategic collaborations. Hosted by the Government of Meghalaya, the festival saw the sale of over 15.4 metric tonnes of pineapples.
The festival was inaugurated by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, and Conrad K Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya. It drew thousands of visitors, businesses, and buyers from across the country.
Union Minister Chouhan praised Meghalaya’s farmers and their pineapples, assuring full support from the Government of India to strengthen the state’s farm-to-shelf ecosystem. He commended Meghalaya’s embrace of public-private partnerships to ensure products reach consumers nationwide.
Chief Minister Sangma highlighted the growing success of the festival annually. He stated that Meghalaya’s pineapples are gaining global recognition for their sweetness and organic cultivation, ensuring farmers receive deserved attention and returns. The Chief Minister also emphasized that the festival provides a platform for products from small industries and Self-Help Groups, showcasing the #AtmaNirbhar (self-reliant) future of Meghalaya’s rural communities. The festival aligns with his vision for Meghalaya to become a USD 16 billion economy by 2032, with agriculture playing a pivotal role.
A significant achievement of this year’s festival was the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Reliance Fresh, Amazon Karigar, and Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters. These partnerships aim to boost procurement, nationwide retail, and logistics support for Meghalaya’s products.
The festival also underscored Chief Minister Sangma’s commitment to grassroots development, bringing together farmers, entrepreneurs, and musicians under the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (CM-MGMP). Reena Nongrum, an entrepreneur from Ri Bhoi, shared her success story, noting that with support from the Horticulture Department, her pineapple jams and candies are now sold in Delhi, Kolkata, and Kerala. Her stall featured innovative products such as dried pineapple, pineapple candy, and ginger powder.
Cultural performances by bands like The LYNX, Elena and the Band, and Chegim Durama, under the CM-MGMP, captivated audiences at Dilli Haat and India Gate. A performing artist expressed the emotional significance of performing at India Gate as a grassroots musician from Meghalaya, highlighting that the festival represents identity, pride, and recognition beyond just pineapples.
Visitors enjoyed fresh pineapple tastings, purchased local spices, and interacted directly with cooperatives, reflecting the festival’s vibrant spirit. Attendees praised the quality of Meghalaya’s pineapples, with one visitor from Bangalore calling them “the tastiest pineapples in the world!”.
The festival also showcased Meghalaya’s expanding logistics infrastructure, with investments in 27 cold storages and 7 processing hubs over the last three years. Currently, 682 MT of processed pineapples have been exported to international markets, including the EU, Gulf, and Southeast Asia, while over 150 MT were sold in Indian metros. The new strategic partnerships are expected to facilitate widespread online delivery of Meghalaya’s products via platforms like Reliance and Amazon Karigar.
As the festival concludes, Meghalaya is emerging not only as a producer of high-quality fruit but also as a symbol of rural innovation, grassroots entrepreneurship, and India’s agri-powered future.
