Siliguri: The Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA) has inked an agreement with a Calcutta-based private fruit processing company that will run the pineapple development centre at Bidhannagar, 40 km from Siliguri.

The centre is one of the major pineapple processing units of north Bengal that was set up on a 17-acre area in 2010. But it was not functioning regularly and since 2012 it went almost in defunct condition.

Sourav Chakraborty, SJDA chairman, said the centre would soon start functioning. "Bidhannagar is the pineapple hub of north Bengal. If the centre starts functioning, it will benefit us," said Arun Mondal, secretary, Uttarbanga Anarash Chashi Sangathan.