PROFITABILITY AND MARKET DYNAMICS OF PINEAPPLE CULTIVATION IN TRIPURA: AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

Pineapple is one of the most important and delicious tropical crops in India as well as in Tripura. Tripura, being the 4th largest producer of Pineapple in India, plays an important role in the socio-economic status of a farmer’s life. Pineapple cultivation provides livelihood opportunities for rural people, including a large number of farmers. In spite of all these opportunities, the pineapple sector still faces lots of challenges. Thus, the current research is about the socio-economic status of pineapple growers in Tripura and also identifies the pineapple growers' consultants and challenges. The study found that all respondents were male, and age skewed more toward the young to middle-aged category. This is a promising sign, as they will be willing to be educated towards better and more innovative pineapple production. Pineapple cultivation was found to be economically feasible in the state, as the BCR ratio was 2.15. The study also revealed various challenges faced by Pineapple growers, which include price fluctuation, lack of marketing linkage, distance to market, poor storage facilities, and many more, which lead to wastage and cause loss for pineapple growers.