Silchar: Cachar’s pineapple sellers received a boost in its bid to access wider national and export markets after farmers, exporters, agri-entrepreneurs and institutional buyers from across the country participated in a buyer-seller meet organised by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in collaboration with the Cachar district administration on Thursday.State minister Kaushik Rai, who inaugurated the programme, said agriculture remains a key pillar of the Barak Valley economy and that Cachar’s naturally grown pineapple has earned recognition for its quality and flavour. He said strengthening post-harvest management, promoting value addition and creating direct market linkages would help farmers secure better returns while reducing post-harvest losses.District commissioner Rahul Kumar Gupta and other officials attended the programme along with representatives of farmer producer companies, exporters, processors and buyers from different states.Speakers highlighted Cachar’s favourable agro-climatic conditions and said the pineapple has developed a distinct identity because of its natural cultivation practices and quality. They said scientific post-harvest management, organised marketing and value-added processing could create new business opportunities for growers and strengthen the rural economy.The buyer-seller meet provided a platform for direct interaction between pineapple growers and prospective buyers from outside Assam. Farmers showcased fresh pineapples and other produce, including premium spices, while buyers assessed quality, discussed procurement requirements and explored long-term sourcing arrangements. Participants said direct engagement between producers and institutional buyers could reduce dependence on intermediaries and open up new marketing channels.A technical session focused on scientific post-harvest practices, grading, packaging, storage and market readiness. Experts discussed ways to minimise post-harvest losses, improve shelf life, develop value-added pineapple products and meet quality standards required for domestic and export markets.
Minister Kaushik Rai visits a stall at the buyers-sellers meet
