Agartala, July 2 (IANS) Tripura Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Thursday announced that the state government would expand mango cultivation across an additional 55 hectares of land in mountainous Dhalai district, besides providing more infrastructure and financial assistance to strengthen the livelihoods of mango growers and enhance their income.

The Minister made the announcement after inaugurating the Monsoon Mango Festival 2026 at Narikelkunja in tribal people inhabited Gandatwisa sub-division under Dhalai district.

Highlighting the state’s efforts to promote horticulture, Nath said the government is committed to transforming Gandatwisa sub-division and the picturesque Dumboor region into a major mango cultivation hub with national and global recognition.

“Our Queen variety pineapple is world famous. I have seen many varieties of mangoes, but the mangoes grown in Dumboor are truly exceptional. The state government will promote the Mango Festival on a much larger scale to put Gandatwisa and Dumboor on the world map,” the Minister said.

He said the region is home to a wide range of mango varieties and has recorded impressive productivity.

“To further encourage mango growers, we are organising this festival and have decided to bring an additional 55 hectares of land in Gandatwisa under mango cultivation.

“We are also providing financial assistance to rejuvenate old mango orchards. No previous government extended such support to the growers. We have already ensured deep irrigation facilities for mango orchards and will provide five more cold chambers to help farmers preserve their produce. Our objective is to improve farmers’ livelihoods and double their income,” Nath said.

The Minister said that around 259 farmers have been instrumental in making Gandatwisa a recognised centre for mango cultivation.

“I urge everyone to visit Dumboor. Homestay facilities are also available here, making it an attractive tourism destination. The primary objective of our government is to generate employment in every household and make Tripura self-reliant. I have been a member of the Assembly for 33 years, and the condition of Gandatwisa in the past was extremely backward. People were unable to visit the area because of insurgency. However, over the last eight years, the situation has undergone a remarkable transformation, which reflects the success of the double-engine government,” he said.

The Minister urged farmers to focus on cultivating mangoes, pineapple, ginger, bird’s eye chilli, banana and other high-value crops, while ensuring that no cultivable land remains unused.

“We have many varieties of mangoes, and I sincerely thank the farmers who have worked hard to cultivate them. We could have organised this event in Agartala, but we chose Gandatwisa because our government’s development agenda is centred on reaching the last person in society,” Nath added.

The Agriculture Minister said that around 58,000 hectares of land in entire Tripura are currently under fruit cultivation, of which nearly 10,000 hectares are devoted to mango cultivation.

“On average, Tripura produces around five metric tonnes of mangoes per hectare, while productivity in Gandatwisa has reached nearly nine metric tonnes per hectare. We are determined to further develop Gonda Twisa sub-division and the Dumboor region as a leading centre for mango cultivation and allied activities,” he said.

–IANS

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