Maharashtra pomegranate goes to seed

The heavy rainfall in June flooded pomegranate fields and the wet soil resulted in a fungal disease affecting the standing crop. ‘‘Too much wet weather in June has resulted in most of the crop getting ugly black spots known locally as the mar disease,’’ explains Jawahrilal Kankaria, one of the first farmers in Astgaon near temple town Shirdi to switch to pomegranates in the early ’70s. ‘‘Unfortunately, this year has also seem a tremendous increase in pomegranate harvest and hence much bigger losses.’’

In a region which boasts of having grown a Gunniess record breaking 2.53 kg pomegranate, there is despair as frantic farmers try to offload their produce in the local markets. Across the region, hundreds of fruitsellers sit with piled baskets of fruit, waiting for a buyer.

In the last five years, the pomegranate growing belt across Malegaon, Sangamner, Pandarpur, Baramati, Satana and Sangola has steadily increased. From just 705 hectares in 2000-01, farmers of Malegaon taluka have planted 1820 hectares in 2004-05. While farmers started out with the ganesh variety, this season Sendriya saplings have been planted the most.

‘‘High humidity and lots of rains became a breeding ground for fungus which has affected most of the crop,’’ says agriculture officer Kailash Khairnar. ‘‘Moreover, because the government gives 100 per cent subsidy under the employment guarantee scheme, which is about Rs 29,000 per hectare, the production has doubled resulting in a glut in the market.’’

‘‘When I first started anar plantation in my farm, people thought I was crazy,’’ recalls a worried Kankaria. ‘‘Then they saw the benefits and now even the government is offering subsidy. Moreover, it is no fuss crop, which does not require too much water and is generally not very disease prone.’’

The profits farmers reap in a good year are huge, considering that around 740 saplings are planted in one hectare of land and it yields 15 to 20 tonnes of fruit. With a minimum Rs 150 per four kgs guaranteed in a normal year, more farmers are working out the mathematics of profit.

But from selling at a premium of Rs 25 per kg just two months back, the pomegranate is now going at a cheap Rs 7 pre kg in the local market, Cart loads of the damaged fruit are waiting for buyers despite the huge demand in the two biggest markets — Delhi and Kolkata.

Farmers estimate that almost 80 per cent of the crop has been affected this time round. ‘‘Because of the heavy rains, many farmers plucked their fruit earlier than normal,’’ explains farmer V. Chandratre. ‘‘In other cases the fruit rotted in the field. On an average, a farmer spends around Rs 2,900 per hectare.’’

Khairnar adds that though the fruit can be plucked in three different seasons, most farmers chose to harvest their crop in June, collectively flooding the markets. ‘‘The government is also giving 25 per cent subsidy on pesticides and fungicides,’’ the agriculture officer says. ‘‘But the damage has already been done.’’