Vijayapura: Whenever anybody is asked to mention the States in India that grows apples, normally two names flash; Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Both states are located in Northern India and are known for their cold temperature.
But now one farmer has broken this common notion that this sweet and juicy fruit is cultivated only in cold climates. He has proved that even a place like Vijayapura which experiences nearly 40 degrees Celsius temperature is also suitable to grow apples.
Siddappa Balagond, a farmer of Kolhar taluk located on the banks of Krishna River has cultivated apples on his farm and made people raise their eyebrows in awe. It is for the first time that a farmer of a hot and arid area has successfully cultivated apples on his farm. The apples have ripened and are ready to eat.
Having cultivated apples on an acre of land, he has shown 300 plants about two years ago. Now the plants have grown and are bearing fruits. Each plant now has around 10 to 40 fruits.
Balagond wanted to experiment with whether it is possible to cultivate apples in the Vijayapura district also. He said that he made some research and found that a particular variety of apples are developed by scientists and can be cultivated even in hot areas.
“I brought the saplings of these varieties. I collected the required details on how to cultivate them. By following the right guidance, today I have seen success in my experiment”, he said.
He said that since he is getting a good market in Vijayapura itself, he has decided to sell the fruits locally.
Balagond has not cultivated other fruits on his farm. That includes Dragon fruit, Dates, Guava, Custard Apple, Jujube, Sweet Tamarind etc.
He has now become an inspiration to other farmers. The Agriculture Department has now asked him to prepare more saplings to be given to other farmers who are interested in cultivating apples on their farms.
