Nellore farmers keen on cultivating Taiwan lemon

Nellore: Farmers of Nellore district are showing interest in cultivation of Taiwan variety of acid lemons for getting high yields. They are planting saplings brought from Kadiyam in East Godavari district and Railway Kodur in Annamayya district in the state to cultivate the variety on a pilot basis.

There are two major lemon markets in the area: on in Podalakur in the district and the other at Gudur in Tirupati district. Farmers cultivate lemon in Podalakur, Turimerla, Thalupuru, Degapudi, Tadiparthi, Mittatmakur, Gollapalli, Tippavarappadu, Sydapuram, Chaganam, Utukuru, Marlapudi, and Pagadalapalli.

Around 20-25 trucks carrying 20 tonne acid lemons each transport lemon from these markets to other states according to the demand. Farmers also export to Karnataka, Kerala and also to Delhi, Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Lucknow, Varanasi, Mathura and other parts of the North India from these markets.

In fact, farmers suffered a lot in during the last few years due to volatility in market. The trees get full bloom during November-December and harvesting is done after 4-5 months during April-May. Farmers and traders also wait until the summer season for a good market. Covid pandemic has thrown the farmers into serious crisis as they faced losses of around Rs 100 crore last year.

The farmers say they plant nearly 100 saplings of normal variety in an extent of acre and there is a scope for planting 300 saplings if it is Taiwan variety in the same extent.

A farmer K Ramana Reddy from Podalakur mandal said he had raised the new variety in one acre and the cost of cultivation for the Taiwan variety has been less when compared to the normal variety. They are waiting for the crop and prices of the new variety of lemons.

Farmers seek suggestions from horticulture officials and scientists as the new variety has not obtained approvals from the state government for cultivation. A farmer from the Parlapalli cultivated Taiwan variety in two acre on a trial basis and others in Pulikallu, Vavintaparthi, Prabhagiripatnam, and Kanuparthi in Podalakur Mandal are planning to plant saplings in their own lands after seeing the yield.

Officials are saying that size of the Taiwan variety is huge when compared to normal saplings. They have discussed the cultivation of the new variety with scientists who cleared the crop as new variety can survive in any type of soil. Still, they say, studies are yet to confirm whether the new variety fits into the soil and climate conditions in the region.