Daijiworld Media Network - Chitradurga (SP)

Chitradurga, Jun 26: Chitradurga is a district that is drought-prone. Farmers here have experienced successive droughts. They struggle even to raise horticultural crops. Many who tried their hand to grow areca nut have suffered huge losses. But a farmer from here thought differently. He has raised apples in the plains.

People have heard about apples being grown in areas like Himachal Pradesh where it snows and the climate is cold. But it has come as a surprise that this farmer had the courage to grow apples in a place where the climate is hot and there is no rainfall.

Jyoti Prakash from Godabanahal village in Chitradurga has made people turn to him in awe. The farmers here have struggled and lost in their effort to successfully grow areca nuts. Many have maintained plantations by getting water in tankers for years together. Jyoti Prakash thought differently and planned to raise this alternative crop.  After getting to know that apples can be grown in this climate, he planted 300 apple saplings in his plantation. He brought these saplings from Himachal Pradesh.

Sixty of these plants are bearing attractive, juicy apples within a year. Each plant has ten to 40 apples. Jyoti Prakash expects to make a profit of seven to eight lac rupees in one acre of apple. Another unique feature of this crop is that harvesting here begins just after the apple season comes to an end in Himachal Pradesh. This is therefore a profitable prospect.

The farmers here have tried to grow different cash crops in a bid to make money but suffered losses for want of rainfall. Therefore, they are afraid of venturing out of their traditional crops. But now they have come to know that apples can be grown with less water and apples have less incidence of diseases as compared to other crops. Another farmer Sunil, feels that therefore the farmers can grow apples without getting too apprehensive.