BHIVA P PARAB | NT Staff Reporter
PANAJI : The nutritionally packed pineapples are seeing good days in Goa. The yield of the fruit has been rising in the last few years as also the area under cultivation.
The pineapple yield in the state in 2012-13 had been 4800 tonne while the estimated area under pineapple cultivation had been 289 hectares, sources in the agricultural department said.
In 2013-14, the produce increased to 4900 tonne while the estimated area under the cultivation also increased to 295 hectares.
In 2014-15, the yield further went up to 6085 tonne and the estimated area under the cultivation also rose to 367 hectares.
The climatic conditions of Goa are suitable for raising varieties of pineapple like Giant Kew, Queen and Red Spanish.
These conductive conditions, including good market, encourage farmers to go for pineapples.
A farmer said that there is good demand for fruits, including pineapples, in the state. The price of pineapples depends mainly on the size and the variety.
“The farmers mostly cultivate pineapples in the state as an intercrop, which bring in extra money for them,” he said.
The local pineapple variety is cultivated as an intercrop on slopes under the canopy of cashew and other wild trees. The ideal time for raising the crop is April-May or August-October, as these specific periods help avoid harvesting during rainy seasons.
A pineapple plant takes at least 10-12 months to flower and fruits are ready for harvest after five-six months of blossoming. The sources said the pineapples are full of vitamin C and fiber which are important for the immune and digestive systems. Pineapples also have anti-inflammatory effects.
If a farmer has arable land with big trees and the space between these trees is unused then pineapples could be a best option for cultivation as an intercrop, which does not call for watering as irrigation for bigger trees reaches the intercrop as well.
