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| Pomegranate exports hit all-time low |
| Mahesh Kulkarni / Chennai/ Bangalore Nov 13, 2009, 00:37 IST |
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Pomegranate exports from Karnataka have hit an all-time low of 1,865 metric tonnes during 2008-09, a drop of 41 per cent compared to previous fiscal. The state, which had seen a peak export of 30,000 tonnes in 2004-05, has been witnessing drop in both production and exports since then due to the attack of devastating bacterial blight disease (BBD) in all the growing areas of the state.
Koppal district in North Karnataka, the leading producer of pomegranate accounts for 1,100 tonnes, about 60 per cent of the total exports. Raichur and Bidar are two other districts that contributed to exports from the state. Karnataka’s pomegranate is exported to Germany, Holland and the UK and Dubai.
In value terms, the state earned Rs 14.7 crore from pomegranate exports during the year 2008-09 at an average price of Rs 76,000 per tonne. Karnataka’s ‘Bhagwa’ (Kesar) variety of pomegranate, which is compared to Spanish Red variety, has been in high demand in the European and West Asian markets.
The state’s area under pomegranate plantation has declined drastically from a peak of 14,000 hectares in 2004-05 to around 8,000 hectares in 2008-09, a drop of 42 per cent due to the rampant spread of bacterial blight disease. The annual production has also dropped to close to 100,000 tonnes last year compared to a peak around 300,000 tonnes in 2004-05, a drop of 67 per cent.
S V Hittalmani, Additional Director, Fruits, Department of Horticulture said, “As a result of wide spread attack of BBD and the subsequent loss of crop, a large number of farmers have uprooted pomegranate plants in nearly 5,000 hectares in the state in the last five years.”
The bacterial blight disease is caused by bacteria called Xanthomonas axanopodis pv.Punicae. The severe damage to the crop was noticed in the districts of Bagalkot, Belgaum, Bellary, Bijapur, Chitradurga, Gulbarga, Koppal, Raichur and Tumkur. The horticulture department has identified some of the varieties that are susceptible to the disease such as Ruby, Bhagwa (Kesar), Mrudula Arakta. The bacteria primarily spread through infested planting material and secondly through cutting implements and wind to other farms, he said.
Currently, the state horticulture department is implementing a three year programme to weed out the pest attack. The National Horticulture Mission (NHM) had sanctioned Rs 23 crore grant to the state to fight the disease for a period of three years starting 2007-08. The NHM had recommended adoption of good management practices (GMP) and fixed Rs 50,000 cost per hectare to fight the bacteria. While, NHM provided 50 per cent of the cost, 25 per cent was given by the state government and the balance had to be borne by the farmer.
“As a result of stringent pest control measures taken by active farmers in Koppal and Raichur districts, the BBD has been controlled to an extent and the results are encouraging. Last year, some farmers recovered huge profits upto Rs 10 lakh per acre as the prices hit a high of Rs 200 per kg in for the export grade and Rs 90-100 per kg for the domestic variety,” Hittalmani said.
This has encouraged many farmers to go for fresh planting of the crop in Koppal and Chitradurga districts this year. About 300 acres has been planted for pomegranate in Chitradurga and 150 acres in Koppal.
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