New Delhi, Feb 14 (IANS): India's pineapple exports rose by almost 100 per cent to $3.26 million during the April-December period in 2021, compared to $1.63 million recorded in the corresponing period of 2013, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry informed on Monday.

The major export destinations last year were the UAE (32.2 per cent), Nepal (22.7 per cent), Qatar (16.6 per cent), Maldives (13.2 per cent) and the US (7.1 per cent).

India is the fifth largest producer of pineapple in the world with an annual output of about 1.2 million tonnes. The other leading producers are Thailand, Philippines, Brazil, China, Nigeria, Mexico, Indonesia, Colombia and the US.

The states where pineapple is grown include Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka and Goa.

The other states where it is grown in a smaller scale are Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) actively supported the government in taking the export of agricultural products to $20.67 billion in 2020-21 from $0.6 billion in 1986 when it was founded.

The APEDA also helped expand the export basket to 205 countries.

The export target set by APEDA for the current financial year (2021-22) is $23.7 billion, out of which more than 70 per cent, i.e., $17.20 billion, has been achieved till January.