CREDIT SEMINARON

CROP DIVERSIFICATION IN VIDARBH REGION THROUGH POMEGRANATE

Contents Introduction strategy of crop diversification. Origin and distribution of pomegranate. Brief history of cultivation. Soil and Climatic requirement of crop. Characteristics of the region. Cropping pattern of the region. Comparative advantages of pomegranate. Crop improvement programmes and various government

schemes. conclusion

Meaning and importance of crop diversification:

• Crop diversification means growing a variety or crops in an area, among which, if one crop fails, the area can still survive.

The necessity for crop diversification arise on account of the need for (i) reducing risks associated with yield, market and prices.,

(ii) arresting the degradation of natural resources and the environment and

(iii) attaining national goals like employment generation, self-reliance in critical crop products and for earning foreign exchange.

Chand and Chauhan,(2002)

5

Crop Diversification

An effective strategy for achieving

– food & nutrition security, – income growth, – poverty alleviation, – employment generation, – judicious use of land and water resources, – sustainable agricultural development, – and environmental improvement,

(FAO 2001; Singh 2001).

Origin of pomegranates

The pomegranate is native in the region from Iran to northern India. Since ancient times the tree was cultivated and naturalized throughout the Mediterranean region of Asia, Africa and Europe.

The tree is a fruit bearing usually deciduous shrub or small tree between five and eight meters tall.

The name pomegranate is its derivation from the Latin word pomum meaning apple and granatus, which means seeded.

Morton, J. (1987)

• It is said that the genus name Punica is named after the people of the Phoenicians who were active in broadening its cultivation.

• Punica was also the Roman name for the city founded by the Phoenicians, from where the best pomegranates came to Italy.

Cont…

• fruit was used in many ways as it is today and its features were described in Egyptian mythology and art litrature.

• And then It traveled to central and southern India from Iran about the first century A.D.

• Now it is found in all parts of India, but cultivated only in some of the semi-arid pockets of country.

Brief history of cultivation.• widely cultivated throughout India and drier parts of

southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa.

• The most important growing regions are Egypt, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, India, Burma and Saudi Arabia.

• There are some commercial orchards in Israel on the coastal plain and in the Jordan Valley.

Morton, (1987)

• It is rather commonly planted and has become naturalized in Bermuda where it was first recorded in 1621, but only occasionally seen in the West Indies and warm areas of South and Central America.

• In india though it found all over country, but commercially cultivated in Maharashtra (i.e.. mostly in western M.H. )

• Ganesh is a selection from ‘Alandi’ developed by Dr. Cheema at Pune, has introduced in Maharashtra state, which is very popular.

Chadha K.L.(2010)

Climate:Require a semi-arid conditions.Thrives best under hot and dry summer and cold winter,

provided that irrigation facilities are available.The tree requires hot and dry climate specially during

fruit development and ripening stages.

Soil:Can grow on wide range soils.Prefer a well drained sandy loam to deep loamy or

alluvial soils.Can be grow on light soils.Quality and colour development in the light soil is good

but it is poor in heavy soils.

Soil and climate requirement of Pomegranate,

Chadha.(2010)

Major Fruit crop production in India

Fruits AREA(000’ HA)

PRODUCTION(000’ MT)

PDY AREA(000’ HA)

PRODUCTION(000’MT)

PDY. AREA(000’ HA)

PRODUCTION(000’ MT)

PDY.

Mango 2309 12750 5.5 2312 15027 6.5 2297 15188 6.6

Citrus 924 8623 9.3 987 9638 9.8 846 7464 8.8

Banana 709 26217 37.0 770 26470 34.4 830 29780 36.9

Apple 274 1986 7.2 283 1777 6.3 289 2891 10.0

Guava 204 2270 11.1 220 2572 11.7 205 2462 12.0

Sapota 156 1308 8.4 159 1347 8.5 160 1424 8.9

pomegranate

109 807 7.4 125 820 6.6 107 743 6.9

Area in 000’ HA, Production in 000’ MT and Productivity = MT/HA2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

Source: NHB database-2011 fruits

STATE/UT'S Area000' ha

Prod. 000 M

ANDHRA PRADESH 5.6 56.4

CHHATISHGARH 0.1 0.4

GUJARAT 4.4 45.6

HIMACHAL PRADESH 1.3 0.5

KARNATAKA 13.2 138.5

MAHARASHTRA 98.9 555.5

NAGALAND 0.1 0.3

ORRISA 0.2 0.8

RAJASTHAN 0.8 4.8

TAMIL NADU 0.4 17.5

TOTAL 125 820.3

Pomegranate producing states in India

Indian horticulture database,2011

Brief characteristics of the region

• Entire Vidarbha region which is located in eastern Maharashtra having total geographical area of 97.23 lakh ha which is 31.61% of Maharashtra.

• Vidarbha region comprises--- total area of 24.0 million acres about 11.8 million acres of land under cultivation of cotton and agronomical crops.

• The region comprises eleven districts viz. Buldana, Akola, Washim, Amravati, Yavatmal, Wardha, Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli.

Anon,(2012)

RAINFALL DISTRIBUTION

Temperature features

Anon,2012

District Course Shallow

Medium deep black

Deep black

Laterite & Lateritic

Yellow Brown

Salt Affected Soils

Amravati 1.84 4.58 1.21 - - 0.61Akola 0.71 6.12 1.44 - - 1.68Buldhana 3.50 2.69 1.13 - - 0.45Yavatmal 5.73 0.91 2.01 - - -Wardha 2.51 2.64 1.78 - - -Nagpur 1.11 1.34 0.34 - 2.87 -Bhandara - - 0.15 - 3.98 -

Chandrapur & Gadchiroli

0.65 0.78 1.32 0.84 2.94 -

Vidarbha 16.05 19.06 9.38 0.84 9.79 2.74M.H. 55.6 79.89 34.25 9.16 - -

Major Soil type of Vidarbha region

Source: Epitome, Dept. of Agriculture (M.S.)

Cropping pattern, land under cultivation.

• Vidarbha region is known since ancient times for its reach and fertile black cotton soil.

• Out of the total area of 24.0 million acres about 11.8 million acres of land under cultivation.

• Which means about 50 percent of the geographical area is used for rearing various crops.

• Rice, wheat and jawar are the major food crops of this area and cotton and groundnut are the chief cash crops.

Anon.,(2012)

• Citrus, guava, ber are the major fruit crop in the region, and known for best quality.

• But from last few years area under major fruit crop production is continuously reducing due to attack of pest and diseases, water scarcity, usages of faulty rootstocks etc.

• And therefore there is need for change in cropping pattern and crop diversification.

Why pomegranate……….?Availability of required soil and climatic

conditions.

Sufficient irrigation systems.

High market demand in whole year.

Easily availability of labor.

Low cost of cultivations.

Comparative advantages of pomegranate

It can withstand different soil and climatic conditions.

• Grow well n semi-arid conditions.• Thrives best under hot dry summer

&cold winters, with optimum irrigation facilities.

• Require hot and dry climate during fruit development & ripening.

• Can tolerate frost with minimum extent and affected at -110c.

• It can tolerate salinity up to 9.00EC/mm.

Annual plan of Action for pomegranate crop improvement under National Horticulture Mission 2005-06.

Production of planting material For production of quality planting material one nursery of

4 ha is proposed to be established in the under private sector and another small nursery of 1 ha in the public sector of vidarbha.

The new areas should be brought under Ruby, Bhagwa and Arakta varieties.

Plantation and rejuvenation programme Considering the importance of pomegranate it is proposed to bring 10,000 ha area under new plantation

rejuvenation of 5000 ha of area is proposed. Plantation of ruby variety should be encouraged for export oriented production .

(MAHARASHTRA STATE HORTICULTURE MISSION.,2006.)

Post harvest infrastructure The present post harvest infrastructure already existing in

the state, it should be utilized along with proposed pack houses, cold storage and reefer vans.

Marketing get information about market values, and strategy. produce is stored in cold stores,and send to market For

getting good price.eg.Maximum arrivals of pomegranate in Delhi markets are during January – February but, prices are usually more during April – march.

It costs from Rs. 1030-2016 / quintal in Delhi markets (2011-12) at that time..

Cultivation of Pomegranate –Farmers have been pro-

active in adopting new technology for cultivation and post

harvest handling of Pomegranate.

Buldhana and Amravati districts of the region – desirable

and suitable areas for trial of the crop in the State.

Training Programmes – conducted in the farmers’ fields

in six steps,I n collaboration with the Agricultural and

Processed Food Products Export Development Authority

(APEDA).

Success Story

Farmers given suitable guidance regarding cultivation

and care of regulating the number of fruits, irrigation

with fertigation, plant protection schedule and care in

harvesting.

From the team 50 farmers 20 to 30 were changed their

mind and were ready for cultivation fruit crop for export

purpose.

conclusionThere is vast scope in semi-arid region for crop diversification.

The soil and climate of the region is favorable for crop cultivation.

A small but significant intervention by the Government- helped farmers to boost the production and quality of the fruits and gave them higher returns.

Hence it is need of the hours to explore the possibility of diversification of fruit industry of vidarbha through Pomegranate.

Thank you …..