Waiting in the wings
Attempts at conserving fruit germplasm as well as creating a market for lesser-known varieties have been far from satisfactory. Also, a whole lot …
Different flavours
From major fruits like the mango, banana and citrus to minor ones like karonda and sapthei, the story is the same: genetic erosion is leading …
`Irresponsible reportage can harm business'
Vishal Nath, director, National Research Centre for Litchi (NRCL), says there is no scientific evidence to prove that acute encephalitis syndrome (…
Apples go higher in
Weather does not support traditional sweet varieties in lower regions; sour varieties replace them
Don't bite that apple!
The government's plans for boosting horticulture to earn foreign exchange do not take into account the hidden costs of deforestation, fertiliser …
Seeds bill doesn't matter in India's horticulture capital
sopan joshi meets farmer-tycoons oblivious of the Seeds Bill 2004, but hooked to a biotech future
Jharkhand’s success story of fruit plantation under MGNREGA
The state’s experience in horticulture orchards can serve as a model for the country
A mountain to climb
Cash-strapped Uttaranchal embarks on industrialisation. However, its policies are frightfully blind to green issues
Himachal farmers have an affair with flowers
Farmers in Himachal Pradesh are ditching traditional food crops to grow aromatic plants that offer higher and assured returns
Himachal farmers start growing pomegranate and cabbage, as apple lines recede due to climate change
The apple growing belt is shifting to higher altitudes and intercropping in apple orchards with vegetable crops as it experiences warmer winters …
Orchards in desert
A simple technology assures continuous moisture supply to plants, helps grow orchards in water-scarce areas
Fruit scare
Encephalitis is not only threatening lives in Bihar, but also the livelihood of litchi farmers as unconfirmed reports link the disease to the fruit
Orange tumbles
Nagpur orange’s survival hinges precariously on its return to sustainable cultivation. Farmers have woken up to this, but will the government?
Starved of fodder
Marathwada has been struggling with acute fodder shortage, but the state government has not taken any step to counter the problem
Out of favour
Focus on Alphonso has resulted in neglect of native mango varieties grown in the Western Ghats, some of which are on the brink of extinction
Rajasthan’s olive dream
An expensive project to grow imported olive trees is not yielding enough oil, and imposing other costs
Protectors dubbed criminals
Tribals in Madhya Pradesh celebrate festival to reclaim forests; officials say they are encroaching land
Mango resistance
Farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s mango belt are clear they will not allow Lucknow’s solid waste facility on their dashehari land
Fabled Fruits!
Taking off from its climatic range - Himalayan to tropical - India has much to offer in terms of fruit diversity. Large varieties of major fruits …
Changing climes
Climate change is a very slow process, notoriously difficult to understand. Is it happening in India? Residents of some Himalayan towns, where …
Veggies delight
The rising demand for vegetables has opened up a money-making opportunity for small farmers. Already reeling from recurring droughts and …