The area under fruit plantations in Maharashtra has expanded by 68,541 hectares, increasing from 1,332,000 hectares in the 2023-24 financial year to 1,400,000 hectares in 2024-25, according to agriculture department officials. Mango, pomegranate, guava, lemon, custard apple, coconut, and fig have contributed to this increase, stated a senior horticulture department official. "Domestic and international markets offer good prospects for these fruits, promising farmers strong returns. The state government has implemented several schemes to promote these varieties and encourage farmers to switch to fruit cultivation," he added.
Data indicates that the highest plantation areas in 2024-25 were in the Nashik division with 5,141 hectares, followed by Amravati at 5,088 hectares, and Pune at 4,287 hectares, reported the Times of India. "A total of 27,292 farmers across the state received financial assistance worth approximately $11.9 million under the government-sponsored Bhausaheb Fundkar Falbagh Lavgad Scheme in 2024-25," an official noted.
Sanjay Kachole, district agriculture officer in Pune, mentioned that many farmers have gained substantial profits by exporting produce such as banana, pomegranate, and grapes to the Gulf and European markets. In April, 14 tons of pomegranate from Ahilyanagar district were shipped to New York via sea for the first time, marking a shift from traditional air freight to sea freight for cost-effectiveness and sustainability.
Following India's market access to the U.S. for pomegranates in 2023, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, NPPO-India, and the National Research Centre for Pomegranate in Solapur, conducted a successful trial shipment of pomegranates to the U.S. by sea. "These steps have been crucial for farmers, giving them access to foreign markets where they can sell their fruits at higher prices. As a result, more farmers are switching to fruit plantations in Maharashtra," stated an agriculture department official.
Additionally, farmers from Solapur have exported bananas to Gulf countries, with private agencies entering the agriculture export sector and engaging farmers statewide. The state government plans to develop dedicated agri-export clusters in districts, with five clusters focused on promoting the export of mango, grapes, pomegranate, and orange.
Concerns have been raised regarding crop insurance for fruits. "Our losses are in the thousands of dollars, but the state compensates us in hundreds because it treats fruits the same as crops like bajra and jowar. This needs to change because the capital investment in fruit plantations is nearly ten times higher than in other crops and vegetables," said Jitendra Bidwai, president of the Grapes Association Sangh of Junnar tehsil. Activist Shantaram Sarvade from Khed tehsil also highlighted delays in financial assistance for growers affected by natural disasters, leading to severe impacts on grape and pomegranate growers in Solapur and Sangli districts.
Source: Times of India