The fencing has robbed the state's thriving pineapple cultivation of its predominant market - Bangladesh.
Tripura is one of the leading pineapple-growing states in the Northeast with the total production estimated at around 117531 MT during 2010-11.
A pineapple trader said, "When the border was open, we used to sell pineapples in Bangladesh which gave us good returns. But after the fencing came up, unofficial trade was stopped."
This fact was corroborated by the superientendent of the Horticulture Department in Sonamura sub-division, where the fruit is grown in plenty, Bimal Das.
In desperation, many pineapple growers have switched to rubber cultivation, which, they chave laimed, is paying them good dividends.
Wakhiram Tripura, a pineapple cultivator at Jumerdepha village in Sipahijala district, now grows rubber in his pineapple orchard and says it fetches more money than pineapples did.
The picturesque village on the hillocks, surrounded by forests, was once famous for the production of the world famous 'Queen' variety of pineapple, and is now slowly turning into a rubber growing region.
Wakhiram produces rubber in one hectare of land which brings him about Rs 30,000 per month, which is three times the money earned through selling pineapples.
