During a farmers' consultation meeting, a visitor from Himachal Pradesh mentioned that the region’s climate is suitable for growing apples
Prabhu Nanjan, a resident of Pororai village near Coonoor in the Nilgiri district, has started a unique farming venture by cultivating apple trees on his land. Traditionally, the Nilgiris have seen the cultivation of green apples, but the varieties grown in Himachal Pradesh have not been widely attempted here. During a farmers’ consultation meeting, a visitor from Himachal Pradesh mentioned that the region’s climate is suitable for growing apples, sparking Prabhu Nanjan’s interest in trying out these varieties.
Following this advice, Prabhu took the initiative to experiment with growing Himachal Pradesh apple varieties in the Nilgiris. On his 40-cent land, he planted more than 250 apple saplings. He noted that he planted five different varieties of apples, each unique in taste, colour and quality. Though it has only been two years since he started this project, some of the trees have already begun bearing fruit, signalling the potential success of the venture.
Prabhu explained that importing apple saplings from Himachal Pradesh cost him around Rs 500 per sapling. With each tree capable of producing up to 100 kilograms of apples, he believes that apple farming could become highly profitable for local farmers. If managed well, apple farming could offer a significant return on investment.
A few other farmers in the area have followed suit by planting a small number of apple trees, but Prabhu Nanjan has stood out with his dedication, maintaining and nurturing over 250 saplings. The varieties he planted include Kala, Adams, Scarlet and Jeromine. He emphasized the importance of implementing proper protective measures to safeguard the fruit from birds and wild animals, which could pose a threat to the crop.
Looking ahead, Prabhu mentioned that transporting apples to other districts for trade is essential. If the yields continue to improve, he hopes that more farmers will join him in apple cultivation.
