I am considering growing perennial moringa, would like to gather some information about it and learn about experiences from anyone raising them. We are planning to raise them in large numbers, trying to learn as much as possible about them to make an informed decision. Any pointers from our knowledgeable members would be very much appreciated.
Questions regarding perennial moringa
Would it grow well in dry coastal climate of Visakhapatnam?
What is the life span of the tree?
After what time would it start bearing fruit?
Does it require a lot of maintenance?
How resistant is this to pests?
Does this grow well while using organic practices (Palekar ZBNF)?
What is the typical water requirement for this plant?
Can I grow this along with banana in Palekar ZBNF format?
What is the typical yield of this plant?
What is the shelf life of the pods?
Is PAVM the best variety and how much would saplings cost?
Would this grow well in red sandy soil on a hill slope?
What are the economics of this plant?
What is the market demand for this variety in both domestic and international markets? (I am planning to grow them in thousands, hence want to make sure that there is sufficient demand for them)
What are the major domestic demand areas for this produce? (G.P. Rao garu mentioned earlier about Odana Chatram market)
What countries are these exported to and in what volumes?
Is there a good demand for moringa leaf powder and what are its economics?
Can we raise banana, moringa, melia dubia in the same plantation?
Answers to some of your questions -
You should see the first fruit in 6 months - in the case of PAVM
It needs to be pruned in the first few months to increase the branches, but no major maintainance.
Typically, it is prone to black caterpillars, I have not seen any in PAVM variety. I have experienced leaf eating green caterpillars, nut not a major problem. Yes, it will respond well to organic practices.
You can irrigate it once a week 50-70L.
Shelf life is about 5-7 days under moist conditions.
There is demand of powder but for that you want cultivate intensely not by trees. Saplings cost about 35-40/- per sapling. Other alternatives which you have are PKM1,2
Moringa is a strange vegetable where every household (in south) has a demand, yet it is sold as a commodity. People do not buy by kgs but by sticks. As a result, unless you are producing 600-700 kgs per week, it will difficult to sell it to traders or wholesalers. Wholesalers buy it by Kg but retailers sell it number of pieces. On the flip side, if you are not producing significant amounts yet, you can think of marketing it yourself in farmers market etc…