Conventional Crops In Unconventional Places

The next time you make kheer and sprinkle some kesar on it, don’t be surprised if the kesar has come all the way from Rajasthan and not Kashmir. Ditto with tea leaves from a tea estate in Kolhapur, Thai guavas from Madhya Pradesh and dragon fruits from Bihar. For those who are unaware, some of these fruits are native to Central and South America, but India’s Green Revolution Version 2 is challenging climate change and conventional wisdom. Thanks to modern farming. Conventional fruits are now growing in unconventional places!

From Farm to Table

A new breed of farmers has taken the world by surprise with their sowing and growing styles of unconventional crops. Cutting through India’s climatic conditions with fine-tuned wisdom, these farmers have moved beyond just rice, wheat and maize. They grow and harvest apples and saffron in Rajasthan.

Kiwi, a fruit native to China, is now grown in Sikkim, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh. Dragon fruit, a native fruit from Central and South America, is now a staple produce in Bihar and Uttarakhand. The pink Thai Guava are a common site in orchards in Madhya Pradesh. Moreover, organic startups are sending these fruits from farm-to-table in cities across India.

Bold Ventures

Harsha Tej, an Environment conservation enthusiast & Founder of Blue Dot Foundation says, “Horticulturalists are guiding farmers with modern techniques that allow them to diversify into exploring different crops like dragon fruit and kiwi.” He believes that newer ventures would pave the way for better opportunities.

After initial scepticism, farmers have taken bold steps to cultivate these unconventional crops and produce in their fields. Who would have thought that in a hot desert region like Rajasthan, apples (a fruit known to be grown in cooler climes) could have been produced? But thanks to the many ventures, the returns that have shown in terms of crop produce and an increase in their bank accounts have only guaranteed wider smiles and fuller tummies.

Harsha quips, “Such crops offer higher returns and attract better prices when done right. But these benefits could also come with higher input costs and risks.”

Devendra S Bagkar, Horticulturalist and Director of Asmit Enterprises at Mumbai shares that horticulturalists today go all out to support and guide farmers in cultivating unconventional crops. Devendra says, “Shifting to unconventional crops helps farmers fetch more profit than conventional farm produce.”

Mixed Bag of Fruits

Farmers have successfully cultivated fruits that have been alien to Indian soil. Devendra says, “Dragon fruit is the native of south and Central America but we have successfully cultivated dragon fruit in Western Maharashtra.”

This hasn’t just stopped at fruits. Vegetables have seen stunning varieties come up. Exotic vegetables like brussels sprout, lettuce, asparagus and broccoli have been effortlessly cultivated in little playhouses like Gujarat and Mumbai. The conventional crops like rice and wheat can be unpredictable to invest in. Thanks to their vulnerable nature and heavy reliance on water and other climatic conditions.

Harsha opines that while the quality of these fruits could be good enough, risks do exist. “Quality can be high, especially with the right care, but the risk of inconsistency is always there when one grows exotic crops in unfamiliar conditions” explains Harsha.

Devendra opines otherwise. While he does agree that the quality of any horticultural crop may differ, especially with those that aren’t natives to Indian soil. The right techniques could help. He says, “It’s here that farmers give due attention to the manure content and quality in the soil that add to the crop’s nutritional value which is far from being mediocre or substandard.”

Govt Push & Pull

Not just that, even state governments around have been pushing for unconventional cultivation. Take for instance Bihar, with the Directorate of Horticulture in Bihar announcing a 40% subsidy under the National Horticulture Mission Scheme for Dragon fruit cultivation. Such nudges have witnessed a whopping increase in the production of dragon fruit in the state which initially started in one place Kishanganj in 2014 has now expanded to districts like Katihar, Purnia, Araria and you name it!

Quality Matters

Devendra explains that it’s all about adjusting different agroclimatic zones when it comes to unconventional crops. Think of this like hitting the increase or decrease button on a scale and gauging the climatic conditions around so as to see if that particular climate is conducive to the given crop type.

Devendra says, “The quality of produce of the fruits grown in different regions could change as the minerals contained in the soil naturally differ from area to area.” What’s intriguing is that to maintain stability in terms of sufficient minerals being fed to these crops, horticulturalists have come up with ‘deficient’ minerals. These deficient minerals are spewed into the existing soil to fulfil the requirements of the crops across cultivation areas. A booster shot of sorts for the unconventional crops makes the soil immune to their existence and growth!

Assured Boost

While the conventional and unconventional debate can go on, what’s known is that farmers have crossed boundaries and barriers, stepping into new play fields. Unconventional crops may come with a different set of unique challenges. However, these needn’t be shunned away. As farmers yield better produce, fuller stomachs and an increase in their bank accounts- this overall newness also helps boost the Indian economy.

Harsha says, “Unconventional crops can contribute to the economy by creating niche markets and reducing imports.” Devendra confidently adds, “As a qualified horticulturist with 29 years of experience, I believe it’s time that the Government along with Horticulture departments of states promote a boost to the horticulture sector.” The bottom line is clear: Indian farmers are boldly stepping over conventional styles of farming with unconventional crops. Harvesting happiness, one crop at a time!

Unique Offerings

• Dragon fruit, native to Mexico, South America and Central America, is now grown in Bihar, Pune, Satara and Kolhapur in Maharashtra.

• The famous pink Thai Guava is cultivated in Vidisha and dhar in Madhya Pradesh

• Apples- particularly the HRMN 99 variety is grown in the thar district of Rajasthan

• Kiwi, a native Chinese fruit is grown in Sikkim, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh