Pineapple festival held to assist farmers in West Bengal's Bidhannagar area

Bidhannagar (West Bengal), Sept 2 (ANI): A pineapple festival to provide a common platform to farmers and to facilitate open marketing commenced here recently.

The festival is being held in the Siliguri sub-division of West Bengal's Darjeeling District.

Speaking to reporters here, Arun Mandal, general secretary of the North Bengal Pineapple Growers Association, said the festival was organised to spread awareness among the farmers about various varieties and qualities of pineapple.

"If pineapple would be sold all over the world, its sales would increase and if sales increases farmers would be benefited. This event has been organised for farmers' benefit," Mandal said.

Bidhannagar is known for its unique taste and flavour of pineapples that are sold all over the country.

Rudranath Bhattacharya, Chairman of Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA) and organizing secretary said that the festival attracted people from various states.

"This is first time SJDA organised this three-day pineapple festival. Bidhannagar is close to the Uttar Dinajpur district, it comes under district Darjeeling and it is highest pineapple growing area," Bhattacherjee, also the local member of legislative assembly (MLA), said.

Bidhannagar has the fourth largest pineapple production in the world, Thailand being the first, Philippines second and Brazil being the third.

Almost 1, 50,000 people directly or indirectly are dependent on pineapple farming, which makes it second largest industry after tea in the region. (ANI)