India: Pineapple cultivation catches farmers’ fancy

The juicy and delectable pineapple is the new found love of farmers across two blocks of Thakurganj and Pothia in Kishanganj district on the foothills of Himalayas. The vitamin-rich pineapple, which is also a fine appetizer, has a rich market and is considered highly profitable. Besides, the soil and climatic conditions, with temperature hovering between 15 to 35 degree Celsius, are quite congenial for growing the pineapple in this farm hinterland in the district. The four-degree difference in day and night temperature only works wonder for the pineapple cultivation. Besides, the rainfall required to nurture and sustain the crop, is also suitable for pineapple cultivation. "No wonder, farmers are falling head over heels for this fruit," say senior farm officials.

The pineapple cultivation started off only few years back in this district. However, nearly 5,000 acres of land are under pineapple cultivation in the two blocks of Thakurganj and Pothia in the district. Whereas the pineapple cultivation calls for an investment of Rs 1.3 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh per acre, the farmers reap anything between Rs 3.6 lakh to Rs 4.2 lakh per acre, according to district agriculture officer (DAO) Sant Lal Sah. It is still to spread elsewhere in the district though.

"The pineapple cultivation is a long and endurable process. It takes nearly 12 to 15 months to mature. The main period for its cultivation is between December and April, but the farming could be done between June and October as well," explained Mohammad Yunus ,a farmer at Churli under Thakurganj block. "It is both labour and cost effective cultivation. But, the ready market availability is a big impetus," said Krishna Patel. Bidhannagar in West Bengal is the hub for pineapple buyers and sellers.

"Pineapple is mainly grown in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura,Mizoram, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and West Bengal. But, like tea in the recent past, pineapple is catching the fancy of farmers in Thakurganj and Pothia blocks as well," said the senior farm officials. "Pineapple is exported to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Nepal, Maldives, Netherland and United Kingdom and was pegged at a measly 138 tonnes in the year 1999-2000. But, the same peaked to 837 tonnes in 2001-2002 and has since zoomed to 1,100 tonnes," said the Kishanganj DAO.

Source: articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com