Haryana Aims To Increase Fruit Production

After achieving record production of wheat and rice during the past few years, Haryana is now focussing on increasing the production of fruits in the state. Among fruits, too, ber, once described as the poor mans fruit, is receiving special attention of the horticulture department of the state government.

Haryana produces 26,150 tonne of ber at the moment. Eight years ago, the state produced just 12,000 tonne of ber. According to Jagbir Singh, the state horticulture minister, 23 nurseries have been developed in different parts of the state with a view to giving boost to fruit cultivation in the state. He said as a part of the policy of diversification of crop patterns, the state government is encouraging farmers to gradually shift to the cultivation of fruits. The minister said, both, the areas under fruit cultivation as well production of different fruits like mango, litchi, chickoo, citrus fruits like oranges and ber have shown a significant increase.

The area under ber cultivation in Haryana has increased from 1,432 hectares eight years ago to 3,159 hectares this year. The state government has set up eight exclusive ber nurseries in five districts Hissar, Jind, Gurgaon, Kaithal and Sirsa. In all, 15 varieties of ber are being grown in different parts of Haryana.

The state horticulture department has a capacity to produce 20,000 plants of ber annually. Studies have established that ber has the highest nutritional value among different fruits.

Farmers are now taking to ber cultivation in a big way as they are able to reap better profits. On an average, a farmer earns about Rs 20,000 per acre from ber cultivation. He can further increase his profits by producing better quality of fruit and by adopting better management standards.

On an average, one ber tree gives about two quintals of the hardy fruit. About 50 trees can be grown on an acre. Ber can be grown on all types of soil, but sandy soil is more suitable for the fruit. Ber is not attacked by many pests and diseases and needs just three sprays of fungicides and insecticides during the entire season. Pruning, say experts, helps in a big way in increasing the yield as well as in the improvement of the quality of the fruit.