Agriculture forms a primary sector of the economy of Tripura. More than 75% of the state's total workforce is dependent on agriculture for their subsistence. In fact, about 24.3 % of the state's net area is reserved for agricultural purposes of which, about 2.5 lakh hectares fall under the net cultivated area. Paddy is the principal crop that is reaped in Tripura. Besides paddy, jute, sugarcane, wheat, oilseeds, coconut and turmeric are also grown in plenitude in the northeast Indian state. The state takes elaborate measures to spruce up the agricultural infrastructure. New technologies, fertilizers, improved seeds and protective chemicals have been implemented to keep the state's agriculture in top shape.
The remote location, lack of power facilities as well as a well developed transport and communication network hindered the growth and development until the year 1950. However, today several small scale industries have mushroomed in the state that deal with the manufacture and production of handicrafts and handloom products, jute and tea. Natural gas and fruit processing units have also sprung up in the state.
Tripura Handloom and Handicraft Development Corporation Ltd is employing a whole array of novel marketing schemes to market the local handicraft items. The All India Handicraft Board has also established an outlet in Agartala to that specializes in the improvement of quality of the products. In fact, more than 5000 people are now employed in the handloom and handicraft industry, a burgeoning sector of the Tripura economy.
The state is also a repository of glass sand, clay, lignite and building material. The latent hydro electric potential of the state is also being exploited to further the state's industrial development. 5 industrial estates have also boomed Dharmanagar, Kumarghat, Arundhutinagar, Dhwajanagar and Dhukli while three industrial centers have come up in Agartala, Udaipur and Kailashahar
Agriculture of Tripura mainly comprises of horticulture products. Blessed with a salubrious climate and an average rainfall of 2500 mm, Tripura produces several delicious fruits that add to the economic strength of the state. The warm and humid climatic condition of Tripura is perfect for producing plenty of fruits, spices and vegetables. Rubber and tea are also produced in some parts of Tripura.
Agriculture is the backbone of the economy of Tripura. Most of the indigenous local inhabitants of the state are engaged in the traditional occupation of cultivating fruits, and vegetables. Some of the important agricultural productions of the state of Tripura are:
The farmers of the state practice organic cultivation of fruits, vegetables and spices.. Most of the cultivators follow traditional methods of producing crops. The state government of Tripura has taken special steps to improve the agricultural growth of the region.
Fisheries in Tripura form an integral part of the economy of the state. With the increase in the demand of fish in Tripura, the government of Tripura has adequate steps to increase the production of prawn seed, table fish and fish seed. More emphasis is laid towards creating more cultivable water areas, so the production of fish can be increased in the state of Tripura.
Besides, the government of Tripura is also working towards increasing the productivity of the existing water areas. 3160.70 hectares of water area has been created by the Farmer Development Agencies since 1977-78. 4,364.54 hectares of water areas is brought by the Farmer Development Agencies under the Scientific Fish Culture. Moreover, it is noteworthy that Government of India has ratified a FFDA, during 1997-98, for the Dhalai District.
The first Co-operative Movement in Fisheries in Tripura was initiated in 1951 by Rudrasagar Udbastu Fishermen Co-operative Society at Melagarh (Sonamura Sub-division). The total number of Fishermen Co-operative Society reached 129 till 2000. The Co-operative societies in Tripura are supported by the Department of Fisheries for their proper growth.
Tripura tourism industry offers the tourists to explore the rich cultural traditions, religious legacies and vast reserve of unique flora and fauna of the north eastern state of India. Tourism has emerged as one of the important industries of Tripura. Endowed with natural scenic beauty, Tripura has immense potentialities to develop as the tourism hub of the north eastern region of the country.
Tourism has been recognized as an important industry of Tripura in the year of 1987. The tourism industry receives all the financial inducements that are offered to other industrial establishments of Tripura. Tripura draws several visitors from the plains who are enthralled and enchanted by the natural splendor and unique cultural heritage of the place.
A flourishing industry of Tripura, tourism helps the state to earn large chunks of revenue. The well developed infrastructural amenities of Tripura are an added advantage for the proliferation of the tourism industry. The well built roads enables easy and comfortable access to Tripura.
Tripura has several hotels of different categories that cater to tourists of all economic classes. The hotel industry of Tripura as further added to the financial strength of the state.
The tourists are required to pay road tax along with the cost of the mode of transportation which may be taxis or luxury buses. Like other industries, the tourism industry of Tripura also receives several subsidies on different grounds. The state government of Tripura has taken numerous significant steps to improve the tourism sector of the region. The tourism industry of Tripura is one of the potential sources of earning revenues for the state.
The Tripura Tea Industry is burgeoning into one of the industries of the northeast Indian state. The hilly terrains, fertile soil and climatic conditions of Tripura are conducive to the growth of tea plantations. Nearly 67 tea gardens and 4,346 small estates that stretch across an expanse of 6,000 hectares have mushroomed in the state. The state also receives adequate rainfall of over 2100mm rains that is uniformly distributed throughout the year. Tripura thus ranks 5th amongst the 14 tea producing states in the Indian subcontinent.
The Tripura Government claims that the production of tea in the state is currently estimated to 7.5 million kg. Some of the tea estates of Tripura also produce the non toxic "Bio-tea" that have tremendous demand in the international market. The Tripura state government is currently attempting to increase the net tea production in the state. The fine blend of the tea leaves is what makes the Tripura tea special and augments its demand in the Indian as well as the international market. A couple of well known tea estates, namely the Fatikcherra Tea Estate and the Ludhah Tea Estate have broadened their horizons to venture into the production of organic tea.
Tripura Natural Gas Industry is one of the major industries that has sprung up in the northeastern state of India. The state is repository of natural gases that are in non-associate form. The gases are high in quality and have more than 97% methane content. However, H2S, sulfur and other noxious elements are almost entirely absent from these natural gases.
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), the nation's premier natural gas reserve has undertaken extensive exploration activities and research work to estimate the nation's gas reserves as follows:
