Pineapple fair concludes on mix note
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 07 2011: The five-day long 4th State Level Pineapple Fair Cum Youth Festival 2011 which began on July 3 at Thambalnu Market complex came to a close today.

A little more than 300 metric tonnes of pineapples were put on sale during this year's fair which recorded greater sale as compared to previous years, but the sale was not that big.

Talking to The Sangai Express, one pineapple farmer said that each stall could sell pineapples worth Rs 10,000 on the average .

The closing function of the 4th State Level Pineapple Fair Cum Youth Festival 2011 which was organised by the Development Organisation Andro Kendra was attended by 9 Sector Assam Rifles DIG Brig Navneet Kumar, 15 AR CO Col Sanjoy Ghosh, 28 AR CO Sanjeev Kumar, social worker Th Babita and Andro AC MLA Th Shyamkumar as presidium members.

Speaking at the occasion, Brig Navneet Kumar said that the fair was a good platform for promoting indigenous variety of pineapple being grown in the State as well as to foster mutual love and respect among the people of Manipur.

He also exhorted the organisers to hold the fair every year without interruption.

Stating that he had tasted the pineapple variety of Manipur, Col Navneet remarked that the indigenous variety is more juicy and tastier than other varieties found elsewhere outside the State.

He also noted the importance of making necessary arrangements so that the pineapples of Manipur could be exported to foreign markets, as well as the necessity on the part of farmers to enhance their productivity.

Talking about law and order situation, the Colonel claimed that Assam Rifles came to the State to protect the people in view of the highly volatile law and order situation prevailing in the State.

He further assured that Assam Rifles would remain in the State to protect the people until the law and order situation improves to a satisfactory level.

MLA Th Shyamkumar stated since the disappearance of the indigenous economic institutions of the State, the society has become dependent on goods imported from outside the State.

He said that the festival was organised with the objective of rejuvenating economic institutions of the society.

He also appealed to pineapple farmers to participate in the successive pineapple fairs in greater numbers and in more complete manner.

Shyamkumar declared that a cold storage would be constructed at Thambalnu Market complex ahead of the next Assembly elections.

The closing function culminated with a grand musical programme featuring popular singers of the State.

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