The rise of the fruit that tastes like custard
The custard apple, a fruit that resembles an avocado and has a creamy texture, is gaining popularity among farmers in India due to its resilience in drought conditions. Farmers like Ashoka Shivareddy and Navnath Malhari Kaspate are experimenting with hybrid varieties to improve yield and shelf life. The demand for custard apples is increasing both domestically and internationally, leading to new export opportunities.
- ▪Custard apple trees can survive months without watering, making them suitable for drought-prone areas.
- ▪Hybrid varieties like Arka Sahan have been developed to improve pulp content and shelf life, doubling usable harvests for farmers.
- ▪Maharashtra is the leading producer of custard apples in India, accounting for nearly a third of the national output.
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The rise of the fruit that tastes like custardJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GooglePriti GuptaTechnology Reporter, MumbaiIIHR BangaloreCustard fruit trees can survive months without wateringAshoka Shivareddy comes from a family of farmers, but it was hard to make a living in their drought-prone district of Kolar in southern India."The area receives rainfall of only 60 to 70 centimetres, and farmers dig borewells of up to 1,300 feet - most of their money goes into chasing water," he says.Amid mounting losses the family gave up farming and in 2005 moved to the city - to Bengaluru - and started a vegetable shop.Shivareddy became an AI software engineer, but he never lost the farming bug.In 2018 he decided to revive the family farm, but with a more scientific approach.
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