Thanks Sri for the info
Wondering if Seethapal has future potential. Does it get counted/accepted as a main stream fruit as I see it only at certain places not a part of the regular fruit stall/display. I could be wrong. Please shed some light on marketing seethaphal if you have any info.
Thanks
In festival season it is in high demand. Especially Arka Sahana Verity. It is getting exported also.I will try to give you contact details of largescale farmer. In fact I have not met him so far.
Below are the information collected on Arka sahan.
Dear sri sir and sri Seshu sirs, There are 2 varieties released by Horticulture nursery , Sangareddy,Medak district, Andhra Pradesh. One is Balanagar selection, which gives custard apple (sitaphal fruits ) of size 300 to 400 gms each and very tasty, big eyed and from 3 rd year it starts yielding, giving 70 to 100 fruits. Normal density of planatation is 15 ft x 15 ft and can accomodate 200 plants and now a days farmers going for 10 ft x 8 ft distance also which can accomodate 540 plants and 15 ft x 10 ft which can accomodate 290 plants per acre. Those who are regular farmers and can look after the plants well, can go for high density plantations after consulting the horticulture authorities. This Balanagar variety has very good market not only in Hyderabad but also in Mumbai and Delhi. There is one more variety named Athimoya Balanagar which is a hybrid a cross between Athimoya and balanagr. It is a high yielder and has a very good look but taste wise lesser than balanagar variety. These nursery plants are available with horticulture nursery,sangareddy,medak dist,A.P from May/June onwards and with Sree Shirdi sai nursery Sangareddy also.
Sri. Raogaru,
Thank you for putting more light on the topic.
Is there any /kg rates for these verieties available?
Dear Sri sir, From several years I am thinking of planting custard apple plants in my lands but could not. In the year 1986, i met sri Krishna reddy of Sangareddy,medak dist, AP, and he dedicated his life for only custard apple. He is well known in the horticultural field,especially in custard apple (seethaphul) segment. In those days, so many fascinated persons used to wait for his custard apple fruits at mumbai,pune,hyderabad and delhi and he used to sell at around Rs 100/- to Rs 350;- per kg. He always says about Balanagar variety. Upto my knowledge he developped some varieties also but he is no more now i think and their nursery also has been closed. He told me that farmers are neglecting this fruit crop but one day will come soon,and that, it will rule. Now i think that the time has come for custard apple. Dear Sri sir, if you have time pl plant one acre Balanagar variety ,in another acre land, athimoya/balanagar cross hybrid and in 1 acre Arka Sahan ,all in high density ie,290 plants or 544 plants/per acre and do it in organic way and if you are interested we will sit with Shri Shivnapura Ramesh and get the total farming inputs list and do it.I assure you that i will also follow you with some plantations,at least in half half acre each. I hope we will get some where around Rs 150 to Rs 300 minimum per kg,or even more if we produce big size and good quality fruits. Apart from the above we will have satisfaction.You might have heard about one advocate by name N.C.Patel of Nagadasahalli,rajankunte, a farmer sells his mango fruits,Alphanso and mallika by labelling his name in bengaluru,every year. People waits for his fruits arrival in summer,may/june. We can comfortably sell our custard apples by our own brand or under name FARMNEST farmer( just for fun) . thank you sir,g.p.rao, farmer.
I have plenty of land available for plantation with watering facility. My problem is, I cant live on the farm and look after daily activities. If somebody expert in root pruning/ training and Canopy management technique is interested in devoting his life to make it his career then a joint venture / partnership opportunity awaits him to welcome at my family farm located at village Ghui 18 kms north-west to Yavatmal a district place from Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra State.
Here one can plan High Density Plantation of various Mango/ Sapota / Anjir/ Sitaphal / Hanumaan Phal Annona Cherimola [url=https://www.google.co.in/search?q=annona+cherimola&hl=en&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=azFSUZKFLoeurAfJioDICA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAA&biw=1366&bih=649]https://www.google.co.in/search?q=annona+cherimola&hl=en&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=azFSUZKFLoeurAfJioDICA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAA&biw=1366&bih=649[/url]
I would alsso like to have genuine seeds of bala nagar sitaphal and hanuman phal ( Annona Cherimola) boarders knowing the sources please help by providing details.
Thanks and regards and best wishes for joyous and colorful HOLI. Cheerssssssssss!!!
Anant Joglekar
09423089706
apjoglekar@yahoo.co.in
Dear Rao sir,
I have a question on plantation of different verieties in same locality, Dont the plants get cross pollinated and we may not get required quality of fruit?
For eg. If I plant 1/2 acre Arka Sahan and another 1/2 acre of Balnagar Veriety, do these get cross pollinated?
Because lot of people warned me in case of Moringa PKM1 and PKM2 get cross pollinated.(This is also confirmed by Coimbatore Agri university)
Dear Sri Sir, I am very sorry as i did not see this question raised by you. I want to answer you, though I am not a authority, but only as a farmer. Pl verify this. Regarding Arka Sahan, It is having a very poor , rather nil ,self polination capacity, as stated by Dr. S.H.Jalikop, who is a scientist in iihr and he only invented this Arka Sahan, custard aple variety and named it. It is gathered from him that not even 1 or 2 % fruits get set in a season on its own, flowers with male and female pollen, and that too very small, shape less fruits. It took several years for him to find that it will give big fruits of size 600 gms to 1.25 kgs which are in good shape and withgood taste, above 30 brix sweetness,if polinated manually with Country pure custard aple pollen. Per acre if Arka Sahan are planted 180, Any country variety custard aple plants 20 ( 10 % )should be planted .He suggested me that Balanagar Variety is best for its pollen as it also gives big size tasty fruits. This Balanagar variety custard aple is released by Govt Nursery,Sangareddy,near Hyderabad. As Arka Sahan is an inter specific Hybrid, it should be propegated by Graftings only, but not by its seeds, as stated by him. Hence there is no question of self cross polination in this variety. Even at iihr ,they are selling only GRAFTS of Arka Sahan custard aple. Dear Sri Sir, As far as Moringa Olifera, PKM 1 and PKM 2, I do not have knowledge and let us enquire. g.p.rao, farmer,
I am Still thinking on Arka Sahan at the moment, reason being none of our family members are happy with hand pollination. The strongest reason is if we entrust the hand pollination job to labours, they just spend time and claim that they have done it. There is no fool proof system that can check every flower is pollinated or not. and result will be known only after flowe is dried out.
My question is why honey bees cannot do natural pollination?
I have to discuss this with Dr.Jalikop and you when I am in Bangalore next time.
Dear Sri Sir, Sure . We will go to Dr. Jalikop .S.H, house which is in Malleswaram Rajajinagar road after the railway bridge, and will discuss with him. It is learnt from him that manual polination work is a very simple one and ladies can do the job easily.Whenever you are coming for meeting him,pl inform me sir. g.p.rao , farmer.
Dear Rao Garu,
What about water requirements for balanagar variety? Does it need more water than say, mango plantation? Also, do you know any farm near Hyd with sethaphal as commercial plantation?
Btw…I have been hanging around this for about 6 months now and this is my first post?
Best regards,
IndurRam
Dear Sri IndurRam sir, Annona,Sithaphal,custard aple is a semi Arid crop and requires very less water when compared to Mango plants. It needs water to establish in 1 st year, especially 1st summer. Pl put drip and only little/required water is to be given, mainly during fruit bearing time. Pl see that there should not be any water logging in the field,near the plants. Balanagar variety custard aple is a very good variety and gives big size fruits and reciprocates very well for organic fertilisers. Grow the plants organically from begining by giving sufficient organic fertilisers, may be little more even. Very good market demand for this variety custard aple especially in Mumbai,delhi ,Hyderabad etc. There are so many farmers growing Balanagar variety in Telangana region but I left Hyderabad more than 20 years back. Pl enquire with Govt Nursery in Sangareddy,near hyderabad and sure ,they may give you some farmers addresses. All the best to you and if you have any specific doubts about farming pl ask me. g.p.rao, farmer
Thank you Rao garu. I have 10 acres of dry land with very scares water resource. It has been lying vacant for the last few years. Shethaphal might be the one for this land!! I will seriously explore this.
Thank you,
IndurRam
Thank you for the information Rao Garu. I just came to the right subject.
In my farm there are a lot of Seethphal tree and they give good fruit in the season but as I said they are wild. I was conteplating if there is something which I can do to make sure the fruit coming is of good size. Are there any steps like pruning, water management etc to increase the yield of these trees. Can I graft the exisiting trees with the Balanagar variety?
I will surely visit the Nursery in Sangareddy this week, if possible can you share any contact details?
Regards,
Srinivas
Dear IndurRam sir, Pl contact iihr,Hasargatta officials and book the graftings of Arka Sahan (Annona/Seethaphal ) variety immediately,if available and for every 90 plants of Arka Sahan, pl book 10 nos Balanagar Variety Custard Aple plants or any other Desi/Nati/Country seethaphal plants, and plant them in your land.( Balanagar variety custard Aple plants are available with Govt Nursery,Sangareddy,near Hyderabad ( at a distance of 35 kms approx ) and/or at any nurseries in Sangareddy and Hyderabad. Say for 10 acres , you require 1,800 Arka Sahan plants and 200 Desi/Nati custard aple plants. The only problem with Arka Sahan variety Custard Aple is it should be mannually polinated only with the pollen of Nati/Desi custard Aple. If Arka Sahan custard Aple plants are not available with iihr,Hasargatta,Bengaluru,Karnataka, Pl purchase Balanagar variety Custard Aple plants from Sangareddy and plant them in your land and this variety also is good and gives good,big size fruits and also yields much. Has good market acceptance like Arka Sahan and need not require any mannual polination. All the best. g.p.rao, farmer
Dear Srinivas Sir, Upto my knowledge, there is Top grafting system exists in Mangoes and done at several Mango gardens successfully and yielding very well. I have practically observed. In Custard Aple this system of Top grafting is not known to me. There may be, but I will enquire and let you know. As regards to pruning, it can be done. The dead wood,dried wood and thin branches can be cut and removed. Any research results are not known, to know how the plants react for pruning like,Guava,Mango,Moringa Olifera etc. In commercial scale,now a days only there is much awareness and anxiety in growing custard Aple by Farmers. Only Arka Sahan,a custard Aple variety released by iihr,Hasargatta,Karnataka is only having a keeping quality of 8 days ( approx ) and hence it can be exported to distant places for marketing. I suggest you to go for planting Arka Sahan variety custard Aple variety, if you have enough land ,I will let you know about top grafting, once I come to know. Wish you the best. g.p.rao, farmer
Quick google search gave following info on the nursery:
Shri Shiridi Sai Baba Nursery
Near T.T.D., Ganesh Nagar
Sangareddy
Hyderabad
Phone:08455-279590
Dear IndurRam sir, one more nursery, which can sell plants of age 1 to 4 years is : Vijaya Phyto Farms,Devara Yamjal, Shameerpet mandal, Rangareddy Dist, AP, India ( near Hyderabad ), phone nos : 08418320617, 08418261477