SCOPE OF CULTIVATION OF FRUIT PLANTS
As far as scope is concerned, the production of fruits and
vegetables increased to a large extent. India is an ideal country as all the important fruits and vegetables can be produced due to varied soils and climatic conditions.
So to avoid glut in the market,
they can be processed, preserved and enjoyed in off season. Different
bi-products can be prepared from fruits and vegetables. By growing fruit and vegetables farmers get more income from the field as they are cash crops. There is tremendous
production of fruits and vegetables in a shorter period.
1. Need to Increase
Production to Meet Dietary Requirements:
According to ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) the per capita consumption
of fruits in India is 120 g/day but it is very low (10 kg/capita/year) as compared to other countries like USA (202 kg/capita/year), Pakistan (100 kg/capital/ year) etc. The low consumption of fruits is
only due to very small fraction of the total cropped area under fruits. India
needs to step up the production of fruits till the country becomes self
sufficient and process of fruit fall to the level at which both rich and poor
can afford to buy. The prices of fruits are so high, to keep fresh fruits out
of reach of large population with more efficient production and marketing, the
price could be reduced as to increase consumption of fruits and still provide good
profits to the grower.
2. Increasing Irrigation Facilities in Maharashtra:
Most of the commercial
fruit tress requires perennial irrigation. The area receiving perennial
irrigation which was 6% in 1960 reached a level of 12.5 to 13% today. By
exploiting all the resources the maximum area that can be brought under
irrigation would be 25% of the total cropped area. Thus, there is still scope
to increasing irrigated area in near future as government is giving priorities
to such to works. This would be definitely help to increase area under fruit
crops.
3. Scope for Increasing Area under Dry Land Fruits:
It is not entirely true
that all the fruits enquire perennial irrigation. There are many fruit trees
like ber, custard apple, cashew nut, anola etc. which are hardy in nature and
can be grown under purely rainfed condition. In India 86 million ha land is
available for development of sound technology of rainfed horticulture; there is
good scope to put these lands under dry land fruit crops. This would also be
necessary to arrest shrinkage of land available for cultivation on per capita
basis due to population pressure.
4. Increasing Urbanization and Charge in Food Habits:
Increasing urbanization
due to industrial growth has increased demands for fruits. Change in food
habits to organic food is also being noticed due to education and assured
income which has also helped in increasing demands for fruits.
5. Increased Transport Facilities:
Most of the fruits are
highly perishable, having less storage life and need quick disposal after
harvest. Lack of good transportation system was one of the major constraints in
are expansion of fruits. However, now a day quick transport facilities by
road rail and air are available enabling growers to transport fruits, to long distance
markers in good condition in a short period of time. Increasing in transport
facilities in transport facilities provide scope for fruit farming.
6. Increasing in Cold Storage Facilities and Precooling Centers:
Fruits have highly
perishable and have less shelf- life. During the peak harvesting period the
market gluts reduce prices of fruits. Cold storage facilities help to regulate
market supply and stabilizes the market rate. Similarly, to extend shelf life, pre
cooling after harvest is necessary.
7. Scope for Agro- Based Industries:
Even after so much of
industrial progress, our country depends on agricultural sectors for employment.
Development of agro- based industries to generate employment is a must to keep
our economy sound. Besides sugarcane, fruit farming is the only area where we
get potential scope to develop agro-based industries like canning and
preservation etc.
8. Development of New Techniques:
Use of growth regulators,
in-situ grafting, drip irrigation for water economy, tissue culture special
horticultural practices like ringing, girdling, notching, bahar treatment, high
density planting etc have helped to increase productivity and also to
bring more lands under cultivation.
9. Evaluation of New High Yielding Varieties and Introduction of New Crops:
Development of high
yielding cultivar of fruits like pomegranate (Ganesh, P-23, P-26, G-137), mango
(Ratna, Amrapali, Malika, Sindu), grapes (Thompson seedless), guava (Sardar and
L-49), cashew nut (Vengurla No. 1,2,3,4 and 5) etc, which are having specilized feature like disease and pest resistant, high yielding, diverse acclimatization etc, brought more area under
fruits. Similarly, introduction of commercial cultivation of some of the new
crops like ber anola etc. also indicates scope for area expansion.
10. Availability of Loan Facilities:
Fruit crops being capital
intensive, lack of capital was one of the major problems for the expansion of
area under fruit crops. Now a day there are several cooperative and commercial
banks providing finance for fruit farming which has increased the scope for it.
11. Government Incentive:
Realizing the need for
area expansion of fruit crops, the governments have started a very ambitious
programme of fruit development under which it gives 100% subsidy to marginal
farmers and farmers from backward communities and 70% subsidy for others on establishment
and maintenance of fruit orchard for a period of 3 years. This would increase
the area under fruits. It is expected that due to this pregame, the area under
fruits will increase.
12. Scope for Export of Fruits:
Market surveys in Europe
and other markets have revealed that is a good scope or export of grapes,
mango, banana, pomegranate, citrus, ber, cashew to gulf and European markers.
The availability of these markets would be increase area under these fruits.
13. Availability of cheap labour.
Agricultural sector needs
more skilled labour forces to conduct the daily activities. The labour supply
in India is much cheaper than the other countries, hence providing greater
opportunities for maintaining the different activities of the farm.
14. Very high production of fruits.
The productivity of horticultural crops
is much more than other crops like cereals, pulses etc from the same piece of
land.
15. Suitability of climate for fruits.
India is bestowed with
diverse climatic condition such as tropical climate, temperate climate and
subtropical climate, which are feasible for all most all the fruit crops.
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