After successfully growing apple trees on its extension farm, the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) at Chintapalle will encourage farmers in growing the trees in the high-altitude areas of the Agency in the district. The RARS will identify farmers in association with the Horticulture Research Station at Chintapalle.
“The CCMB, which identified the high-altitude areas as suitable for growing apple, has proposed that saplings be distributed among farmers,” Associate Director of Research of RARS at Chintapalle B. Padmodaya told The Hindu . CCMB scientist A.V. Rao had spoken to Dr. Padmodaya about associating farmers in the exercise.
“The proposal is yet to be approved by the government,” he said.
The RARS had planted 60 apple grafts provided by the CCMB in January 2014. They were procured from Solan in Himachal Pradesh. The varieties were Anna, Michael, and Selection. The Anna and Michael varieties had flowered in March and finally bore six apples, Dr. Padmodaya said. That indicated the possibility of growing the trees here, he said. The trees are now ready for defoliation and flowering will begin in March. Fruit-bearing is likely to occur in five to six months, by August.
However, it takes six years for the trees to grow in full and bear fruit, says Dr. Padmodaya.
To begin with, apple can be also grown as ornamental plants, he says.
“A few farmers in Araku and Anantagiri are already growing apple,” he said. In the nearby Lammasingi that experiences colder climate, it has been 18 months since a tribal farmer B. Nukaraju Padal has planted a sapling. He says that the growth is good.
