Kiwi fruit originated in China and thus is often referred to as Chinese Gooseberry. The fruit has grown in significant demand in India because of its:
- Easy cultivation process
- Distinctive health and nutritive benefits
- Lower costs and increasing profit potential
Before we understand how kiwi is grown, cultivated and harvested in India, let’s explore kiwi fruit advantages first.
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Kiwi Fruits Benefits – Are they Nutritive & Healthy?
Kiwi fruits contain Vitamin C and helpful dietary fibre that aids in various health benefits. This oval-shaped fruit is good for immunity, heart and digestive health.
This fruit, roughly the size of an egg, is a healthy choice as it contains many antioxidants. Its appealing texture, tart flavour and low calorie make it a perfect option to serve as a snack or an ingredient in some unique desserts. Overall, Kiwi fruit vitamins, richness in taste and health benefits make it a perfect option to snack upon. Let’s review in detail all the health benefits it offers.
Kiwi Helps with Immunity
Kiwi contains 230% of the daily recommended dosage of Vitamin C. Its richness in vitamin C helps strengthen the immune system.
And it is also rich in antioxidants that help fight free radicals and reduce stress, inflammation, and diseases.
Kiwi Restores Heart Health
Kiwi fruit helps keep blood pressure levels in check. Thus, it reduces the chances of stroke or heart disease.
And since it is rich in dietary fibre, it helps reduce LDL and bad cholesterol, which can lead to the hardening of arteries. Plus, the fibre also helps eliminate gastrointestinal issues like constipation.
Kiwi Helps Fight Asthma
studies have shown that Kiwi fruit can help curb the wheeziness from asthma. The fruit has been found especially helpful for children with Asthma. From consumption, they have experienced great relief.
Kiwi Helps Maintaining Eye Health
Being rich in antioxidants and carotenoids; this green-coloured fruit provides great immunity to eyes or overall ovular health.
Kiwi fruit nutrition and health benefits make it in absolute demand by people. Here are the following varieties of Kiwi fruit that are cultivated and distributed in India.
Popular Varieties of Kiwi Cultivated in India
Here are a few popular kiwi fruit types popularly cultivated in India.
- Abbott
- Allison
- Bruno
- Hayward
- Monty
- Tomuri
Now, let’s understand the complete process of how is kiwi cultivated in India. We will now discuss all the technical requirements needed to plant, grow, and harvest Kiwi fruit types. In short, we will go through the factors required to perform kiwi farming in India.
Technical Requirements for Kiwi Cultivation in India
Commercial Kiwi farming is suitable for Indian climate and soil conditions. However, following technical requirements must be ensured for better quality harvest & yield. So, let’s explore these requirements step-by-step.
1. Soil Requirements & Climate
Kiwi fruit can grow well in humid and warm environments. Furthermore, the fruit requires loamy, deep yellow-brown soil that is well-drained and fertile. Also, it is important to create shelterbelts for winds to protect immature fruits or little blossoms.
Also, it is important to timely check Nitrogen (200kg/ha), Potassium (150kg/ha), and Phosphorus (55 kg/ha) content in the soil once the cropping phase begins.
Are Kiwi Fruits Prone to Cold Climate or Frost?
During spring & autumn, keeping Kiwis safe from cold temperatures is important. Otherwise, kiwi fruits will get damaged.
2. Land Preparation for Kiwi Cultivation
If using steep or sloppy lands for Kiwi plantations, creating contours or terraces can be helpful. Aligning roots north-south for better sunlight is very important. Pitting and manuring should be done by December, as January is a suitable time to start the plantation process.
Before planting, Kiwi fruit trees require proper levelling and ploughing. Adding the best tractors from brands like Mahindra and Sonalika is a sureshot thing. Furthermore, adding the latest farming implements like rotavator, cultivator, the plough is highly recommended to till and stir the soil surface.
3. Plantation Process for Kiwi Cultivation
Kiwi plants can be grown through seed/seedling or grafting method in the month of January. Arbor or pergola system framework with a 6m distance in rows is highly suitable for the plantation process. And the male to female plants ratio should be at 1:5 to begin the pollination process.
4. Fertilizer & Nutrition Schedule for Kiwi Cultivation
For growing Kiwi fruits, 20kg farmyard manure with 0.5 kg NPK mixture having 15% Nitrogen is highly recommended. After 5 years from planting, farmers must apply the same amount of manure and NPK schedule in the following quantity:
- Nitrogen – 850-900 g
- Phosphorus – 500-600 g
- Potassium – 800-900 g
5. Irrigation for Kiwi Fruit
September-October is the favourable month to irrigate the fruit, as it is in the initial growing stage. You can choose to irrigate the field at intervals of 10-15 days to grow a healthy, fruit-bearing plant.
6. Pruning of Kiwi
Kiwi vines are likely to grow in great volume and can further become overloaded. Thus, pruning is highly recommended. Pruning is highly preferable as soon as the vine is planted. This is how pruning can be done:
- First, tie the vine loosely to a pole and allow it to grow straight.
- However, the vine shouldn’t be wrapped around the pole.
- And all side branches should be clipped until the vine reaches the pole’s top.
- Later, remove the top half of the vine and ensure the vines grow laterally along the wires.
Choose winter to prune the vines. If you see vines creating healthy side branches, trim the branch by approx. two feet. And again attempt growing the side trenches in the following year.
7. Intercropping
For intercropping, farmers can sow legumes and vegetables at an adequate distance alongside kiwi plants. Also, the best thing is Kiwi plants aren’t prone to pests and diseases. With the right care and maintenance, farmers can effortlessly grow quality crops.
8. Harvesting of Kiwi Fruits
Within 4-5 years of plants, kiwi plants become fruit-bearing. However, their commercial production begins within 6-7 years.
Large fruits are commonly harvested first, while smaller fruits are given complete space to grow and mature further. Hard fruits are often carried in a coarse cloth to the market, where they become soft and edible after 1-2 weeks.
So these were the technical factors that you should keep in mind when growing, harvesting and maintaining Kiwi plants. And if you are wondering, “is kiwi cultivation in India profitable?’, the answer is yes, it is. So, let’s walk towards the costs and net earnings you can expect from kiwi plant cultivation.
- In the next 6 years, planting materials and miscellaneous costs will reduce year-to-year.
- Cost for 7 years will be Rs 7,80,000 (around 1,30,000 for each year i.e Rs 1,30,000 × 6 years).
Let’s calculate the net revenue for Kiwi tree farming.
Farmers can minimise their cost by investing in second hand tractors in India, which are in good condition, affordable, and still gives the best productivity.
Kiwi Fruit Profit from per Acre Land
Let’s note the following facts before counting the revenue and income from Kiwi fruit.
- Net price of Kiwi fruit in India – Rs 40 to Rs 50.
- 1 kg kiwi price on average is between Rs 300 to 320 (depending on area & market).
- A single tree, on average, can produce 30-40 Kg of Kiwi fruits.
Now, let’s count the earning potential from a tree that can produce 16-20 kg of kiwi fruits.
20 kg (average per tree volume) × Rs 300 (market price/kg) = Rs 6000
Thus, we can say one tree can help earn Rs 6000. Suppose there is an acre of land with 300 kiwi trees; the income would be 300 × 6000 = 18,00,000.
Let’s remove the 1st year’s cost from the total earnings in the first year.
Rs 18,00,000 – Rs 171,000 = Rs 16,29,000 (Profit for 1st year)
Conclusion!
Kiwi fruit farming in India is highly advantageous because India has favourable climatic and soil conditions. In fact, a single Kiwi tree can produce 30-40 kgs of Kiwi fruits. And a single Kiwi fruit retails for Rs 30-40 in India. Therefore, farmers can earn huge profits if they wish to cultivate this green, ovular-shaped, nutritive fruit in India.
With the above steps on how to do kiwi fruit tree farming in India, farmers can do kiwi plant cultivation with ease now. The discussed technical factors can help produce quality and profitable yields. Hope tha above guide will help you start Kiwi farming in India and grow sustainable profits.
Try our platform if you wish to buy the latest farming tractors and implements of good quality to harvest this super nutritious crop. And stay tuned to the Tractor Junction blog to get information on best farming practices and machinery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Que. How much time does it take for Kiwi fruits to grow?
Ans. Kiwi fruits generally reach the fruition stage within 3-4 years of planting.
Que. Can I grow kiwi in India?
Ans. Yes, growing Kiwi in India is highly possible. India has rich land, soil, and climate to cultivate kiwi varieties.
Que. Is Kiwi cultivation in India profitable?
Ans. Yes, Kiwi cultivation is profitable in India. Kiwi farming profit can go as highest as Rs 16,29,000.
Que. Which is the leading kiwi fruit country in the world?
Ans. Italy is the leading Kiwi fruit country in the world that produces and distributes this fruit at maximum.
Que. In which states are kiwi grown in India the most?
Ans. Kiwi grows popularly in the mid hills of Himachal Pradesh, J & K, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Kerala.
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