Agartala, May 27 (IANS): The North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) under the Ministry of DoNER, has undertaken Geographical Indication (GI) certification of 13 products of the northeastern region.

Tripura's 'Queen' variety pineapple, exported to many countries including Dubai, the UK, Qatar, and Bangladesh, is one of them.

In continuation to NERAMACs endeavors towards promoting GI, an awareness seminar was held here on Friday, with the main focus to authorise 300 farmers to use GI tagging of the NERAMAC processed certification.

Tripura Agriculture and Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath was present in the seminar, where over 200 pineapple producers attended.

NERAMAC's Managing Director Commodore Rajiv Ashok (Retd) said that the GI initiative is a significant step towards promoting and protecting the traditional agricultural practices and products of the northeastern region. The initiative will provide recognition to the unique qualities and reputation of the 'Queen' pineapple and protect it from misuse and imitation.

He also noted that the authorisation process of farmers would enhance the competitiveness of the produce in domestic and international markets and create opportunities for increased income and livelihood.

Nath said that the GI initiative is part of the Central government's broader efforts to promote sustainable agriculture, protect the rights of farmers, and enhance the country's agricultural exports.

GI expert Rajni Kant Dwivedi spoke about the importance of northeastern region specific GI products and emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach to promote the region-specific GI products.