The fourth edition of the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival opened at Dilli Haat in New Delhi on Friday, with the state government signing memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Flipkart and the National E-Market Services Limited (NeML) to expand market access for pineapple growers.The inauguration of '4th Edition of the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival 2026', at Dilli Haat, in New Delhi. (@JM_Scindia)The three-day festival, organised by the Meghalaya Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, aims to connect farmers with organised retail, exporters, food processors, institutional buyers and consumers while promoting the state's pineapples in domestic and overseas markets.The event was inaugurated by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region and Communications Jyotiraditya M Scindia in the presence of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, government officials, industry representatives and farmer groups.Partnerships to strengthen market accessAccording to the state government, the MoUs with Flipkart and NeML are intended to strengthen marketing and distribution channels by improving access to organised retail, institutional buyers and digital marketplaces across India.Meghalaya's pineapples, cultivated in Ri Bhoi, Garo Hills, Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, are known for their low acidity, high sweetness and Brix value of 16-18, the government said.Scindia said Meghalaya's agricultural initiatives have helped build farmer-centric value chains and expanded the state's presence in premium markets.Chief Minister Sangma said the government's focus was on ensuring that market partnerships translate into higher incomes and improved livelihoods for farmers.Government highlights exports and value additionThe state government said more than 100 metric tonnes of pineapples have been marketed and exported through organised domestic and international channels in recent years. It added that a two-metric-tonne consignment was shipped to Lulu Retail in Dubai in June this year.According to the government, the Meghalaya State Agricultural Marketing Board has developed an ecosystem comprising PRIME hubs, processing and aggregation facilities and farmer producer companies to strengthen the pineapple value chain.The government said farmer-owned enterprises, including the Jirang Organic Agro Farmer Producer Company, now supply organised buyers such as Lulu Group, Reliance Retail, Safal-Mother Dairy and Blinkit.It also said value addition through processed and export-grade products has significantly increased returns from pineapple cultivation, with incomes of linked farmers rising by up to 80%.The festival, which runs until July 12, also features cultural performances under the Chief Minister's Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme.