Five-day ‘Meghalaya Pineapple Festival’ gets underway in New Delhi

Guwahati: The second edition of the much-anticipated ‘Meghalaya Pineapple Festival’ commenced at New Delhi’s iconic Dilli Haat on Wednesday, July 10.

Organised by the Meghalaya government, this vibrant event exhibits the hill state’s majestic Kew Pineapples and its rich agricultural heritage. The festival, to be held till July 14, invites the public to relish the newest and freshest pineapples in the country.

Several entrepreneurs and farmers from Meghalaya have made it to the national capital to display the richest varieties of pineapples and allure the people with taste, music, artisanal products and authentic cuisines of the Northeastern state.

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The Kew Pineapples of Meghalaya considered a jewel of the state, have not only gained popularity in India but worldwide. Having hosted the first edition of the festival in 2023, a staggering 3.5 million tonnes of these pineapples were exported to the Middle East in June this year, further displaying its allure across the globe.

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The Kew Pineapples are best known for having low pesticides and heavy metal residue. In regard to its taste, these pineapples are significantly sweeter having a Brix value of 16-18, which indicates the sweetness of the fruit.

As many as 12 stalls have been exhibiting the Kew Pineapples at the festival. In addition, another stall with authentic cuisines of Meghalaya has been set up, where one can get a taste of the rich flavours of the state.

In the evening, live performances by the artists of Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (MGMP), besides other bands from Meghalaya have been enthralling the visitors of the festival.

The event, thus, is all set to provide much-needed exposure and marketing opportunities to the farmers and entrepreneurs of Meghalaya. During the festival, the farmers would also be visiting the Azadpur Mandi and Mother Dairy facilities to get more exposure and understand the market well.

It’s not only the pineapples that are being displayed in the festival, the success stories of the farmers of Meghalaya have also been highlighted as well.