In drought prone Maharashtra for several years the farmer has been fighting a battle of existence. With poor conditions turning a problem for the average man on the field, in recent years the pomegranate has proved a blessing in disguise in Maharashtra.
If there is one thing that is now visible in the drought prone area of Beed, it is pomegranate plants. Beed’s Vidya Devkar has been able to grow them by virtue of use of water from tankers.
He has grown pomegranate in 10 hectares of land. He uses water from 7 to 9 tankers to replenish the pomegranate crop. These tankers comprise of 1200 to 1500 litres of waterwhich costs between 1500 to 1900 rupees.
The idea essentially is, even without water one can go, it’s just that one must have the right resources. Beed is second on the list of drought prone areas in Maharashtra. Vidya Devkar hails from Shirapur, there are several others too who have pitched in. The pomegranate plant has helped the farmers get paid well.
Each pomegranate is 600 to 700 grams in weight. With good produce the village is often clled the village of pomegranates.
The profit through pomegranate farming is estimated to be around 40 lakhs.
India grows six different commercial varieties of the fruit — Ganesh, Mridula, Arakta, Ruby, Phule Bhagwa and Phule Bhagwa Super.
Mainly grown in the western parts of Maharashtra. Scores of villages in the districts of Solapur, Nasik, Sangli, Ahmednagar, Pune and Satara make Maharashtra India’s pomegranate bowl with 71.21% of the total cultivated area.
Developing an indigenous variety of pomegranate is often attributed to G.S. Cheema, considered father of Indian horticulture.
In Maharashtra the fruit quality is more superior to those grown in Spain and Iran in edible quality and attractiveness.
In 2015-16, the area under pomegranate has increased from 131,000 hectare to 181,000 hectares with annual production of 1.8 million tons with an average productivity of 9.88 ton per hectare.
Nearly 200,000 families in the Maharashtra earn a livelihood growing pomegranate on 1,30,000 hectares.
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