Pineapples grown by tribals find favour with traders

KORAPUT: Traders from Raipur, Ranchi and New Delhi have made a beeline for pineapple grown by the Dongria Kondhs, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG), in Rayagada district.
Official sources said the tribals are now selling each piece of the fruit between Rs 20 and Rs 25, which is around Rs 10 higher than last year’s price, as there is a huge demand for pineapples in northern India. The Dongria Kondhs grow pineapple in an organic manner, said collector (Rayagada) Saroj Kumar Mishra.
Most importantly, contrary to previous years, when the Dongia Kondhs used to come down the hill with their produce to sell it at Chatikona from where the traders used to transport the fruit by trains, this year the traders are going to their doorsteps due to restrictions on the movement of trains during the lockdown.
“This has saved the transportation cost of tribals that they used to spend to bring down their produce to Chatikona from the villages spread across the Niyamgiri hill,” said Sudarshan Padhi, project manager, Odisha PVTG empowerment and livelihood improvement programme, Rayagada.
With the climatic condition being conducive, pineapple is grown over 700 acres by the Dongria Kondhs residing in and around the Niyamgiri Hills. Around 8,000 to Rs 10,000 pineapples are harvested from an acre after three years of planting it.
While the cleaning season for pineapple cultivation is September-October, the harvesting and trading season is from June-August. “Currently, the tribals are selling pineapples at a profit. All steps have been taken by the administration to ensure that there is no distress sale,” the collector said. Official sources said the civil construction work for a pineapple juice making unit got recently over and orders have been placed for installation of the machinery.
“Once, the pineapple juice-making unit becomes operational, it will further enhance the tribal economy through value addition and will generate employment opportunities for the community,” the collector said.