Agartala, March 6: Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Friday reiterated the state government’s commitment to boosting agricultural production and expanding exports to ensure better income opportunities for farmers.
Speaking at Agartala Railway Station, Nath, accompanied by Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma, flagged off a consignment of 3 metric tonnes (MT) of organic paddy destined for Kolkata. The shipment includes 2.5 MT of the aromatic ‘Kaalikhasa’ variety and 0.5 MT of the traditional ‘Harinarayan’ variety.
The export initiative is being facilitated by Sublime Gourmet Private Limited with active participation from two farmer producer companies (FPCs) — the Bosong Group of Tulasikhar in Khowai district and the Thansa Farmers Organisation from Gomati district. The collaboration aims to connect local farmers with larger markets and ensure improved returns for their produce.
Addressing the gathering, Nath said the state government has been consistently working to enhance agricultural productivity and promote exports of high-quality organic produce from Tripura. “Our ultimate target is to increase production and expand exports so that farmers can benefit more. From the very beginning, we have been working towards the goal of doubling farmers’ income while ensuring sustainable agricultural development,” he said.
The Minister highlighted that the export initiative is already benefiting farmers financially. Through FPCs, organic paddy is currently fetching around ₹70 per kilogram, which is significantly higher than the prevailing market price of approximately ₹55 per kilogram.
He further stressed that the government is actively strengthening farmer producer companies to empower cultivators by enabling collective marketing and ensuring fair prices for their agricultural produce.
Officials said the initiative marks another important step toward promoting Tripura’s organic rice varieties in national markets. The move is also expected to help preserve and showcase the unique fragrance, quality, and traditional value of the state’s indigenous paddy varieties.
