Punjab’s ber cultivation: Farmers elevate ‘poor man’s fruit’, make it commercially viable beyond wheat, paddy

From kinnow to ber

In Bathinda’s Baluana village, a graduate farmer in his early 40s exemplifies Punjab’s quiet horticulture shift.

Having entered horticulture in 2002 with kinnow, Jagtar Singh later diversified into grapes, pomegranate, pear and peach. Today, it is ber that is adding new dimensions to his orchards. “Ber is usually ignored in Punjab as farmers feel other fruits are more profitable,” he says.

“But the market tells a different story.”

Jagtar currently grows ber on five acres — three acres in the third year of bearing and two acres around five-years old. He cultivates two varieties: Umran, which is a PAU-recommended late variety, and apple-cross ber, which is locally sourced and increasingly market-preferred. Apple-cross ber, weighing 100-125 grams, is sweet and yellow, and arrives in markets from late December to February.

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Umran matures later from mid-March to April when crops face wind and weather risks. To address this, Jagtar has grafted apple-cross ber onto nearly 90 per cent of his Umran orchard. “The harvesting window and marketing suit apple-cross better. From next season, I’ll keep only one variety.”

The apple-cross plants are almost thornless, making harvesting easier than Umran. (Express Photo)

His orchard includes around 150 apple-cross and 250 Umran plants, spaced at 20×25 feet. He follows scientific pruning — cutting plants back to one foot above ground in March–April and retaining five to seven branches. New shoots grow rapidly, reaching 12-14 feet within months. During early growth, he intercrops fodder for three to four months, sustaining six cattle. Pest pressure is low, with fruit flies managed through traps and one or two sprays in October or November.

Ber’s biggest advantage, he says, is water efficiency. “It needs very little water and performs well even in difficult irrigation conditions.” He uses drip irrigation and a dug well.

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Per-acre expenditure is about Rs 25,000, while government schemes provide Rs 20,000 per acre as assistance. Commercial harvesting starts in the third year, with yields rising from 50-60 kg per plant to nearly two quintals as trees mature. Prices range from Rs 10–25 per kg, averaging Rs 15.

“Earnings of Rs 2 lakh per acre are easily possible — much higher than wheat and paddy combined, with far lower inputs,” he says. The orchard life runs into decades, and wind damage can be reduced with proper support systems.

Beyond ber, Jagtar manages a 15-acre kinnow orchard, with pomegranate and pear intercropped on five acres, a three-acre grape orchard and two acres under cotton. “Horticulture is the future — it saves water, gives steady income and creates long-term assets.”

Better returns with less risk

In Bathinda’s Lehra Bega village near Bhucho Mandi, Bhola Singh (58), a traditionally cereal-growing farmer with intermediate-level education, offers another compelling example. Owning six acres, he converted 1.5 acres into a ber orchard after observing university trials.

Planted at 30×30 feet spacing, his 1.5 acres orchard has around 65 Umran trees yielding nearly 150 quintals. With market prices averaging Rs 20-22 per kg, he earns Rs 3-3.5 lakh annually — almost equal to what he earns from the remaining 4.5 acres under wheat and paddy.

Once established, ber trees bear fruits for decades and require only three irrigations annually. Input costs are minimal — about 800 grams each of DAP fertilizer (Di-Ammonium Phosphate) and urea per plant. Labour needs are limited to four to five workers during peak operations.

Farmer Asif Ali aka Raju. (Express Photo)

An added advantage is fuel wood. Pruned branches fetch about Rs 1,000 per quintal, generating Rs 50,000-60,000 annually — enough to cover the orchard’s entire input cost including labour, which is engaged for picking ber.

“In some seasons, production reaches over two quintals per tree,” he says. “Compared to wheat and paddy, ber gives better returns with less risk.”

Encouraged, Bhola Singh plans to expand to three acres using high-density planting.

Nurseries and new varieties

In Bhaini Kamboan village in Malerkotla district, a nursery is diversifying a farmer’s trials with ber. Asif Ali alias Raju (45), owner of Raju Nursery, is experimenting with Red Apple ber, Miss India, Kashmiri Red, Ball Sundari and seedless varieties. He sells planting material only after trialling varieties himself.

“Apple ber sells out within a 45-day window,” he says. “I earned over Rs 1 lakh selling directly from my roadside orchard, which is less than half an acre.”

From his ber orchard-cum-nursery, he earns more than a typical corporate salary — without debt. “Young farmers are drawn to ber because investment is low and returns are quick.”

Farmer Bhola Singh (Express Photo)

His wife, Rani, plays an equal role in managing operations.

Raju also says that after Covid people of both poor and rice class now prefer ber as it has great health benefits — it carries Vitamin A and C, enhances the immunity and is also considered as antioxidant. He also grows dragon fruit, star fruit, mango, almond, guava and ornamentals in his nursery.

Awards, employment and recognition

Jaswinder Singh (51) of Maujo Khurd village in Mansa, an award-winning farmer, has been growing ber since 2001. Starting with one acre, he now manages 2.5 acres under ber and keeps 7.5 acres under wheat and paddy. Growing Umran and apple-cross varieties, some of his older plants yield up to three quintals per tree.

“Even at Rs 20–30 per kg, ber comfortably beats wheat and paddy.” His per-acre cost is Rs 35,000-40,000.

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Adopting drip irrigation, Jaswinder provides three to four months of employment to five labourers every year. His efforts have earned him three PAU awards for quality ber and a state honour on Independence Day. “Marketing and shelf life remain challenges.”

Rich in vitamin C, protein and minerals, the crop thrives in sandy, saline, alkaline and marginal soils. Early bearing, tolerance to heat and average yields of 150-200 kg per tree in popular varieties, ber fits perfectly into Punjab’s diversification push, he says.

That interest is evident in farmers like Jaswinder Singh (30) of Matti village, Mansa, who planted apple ber on one acre last year and is ready to harvest fruit in the first year.

Another farmer from Bhaidesha village in Mansa district, Jasbir Singh, converted his uneven, poorly irrigated land for ber cultivation after wheat and paddy failed. “Now I earn well from land that gave me nothing earlier.”