Kolar: Kolar district which was once known for the gold mining is now considered as the drought hit area. As there are no major rivers flowing in the district, the farming activities in the district largely depend upon the rain. The underground water is affected by fluoride content and due to the excess use, most of the borewells now become defunct causing headache for the farmers.
However, the growing health consciousness among the people now comes as a blessing for the farmers. They now switched to jamun fruit (black plum) growing. With huge demand from major cities especially Bengaluru, the growers are earning good income.
According to the growers, for the last five-six year this black plum cultivation started gaining popularity in the district. “Presently a kilogram of quality black plum fetches anywhere between Rs 200 to Rs 250. It is higher than any other crops. Black plum cultivation does not require much attention,” says Raghureddy, a farmer from the Kolar.
