In a first, Karnataka farmers grows Kashmiri apples in black soil

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Siddappa said, "Apple is not a delicate fruit like Grape and pomegranate. It is less prone to diseases. We did this as an experiment."

Vijayapura (Karnataka): A progressive farmer has grown Kashmiri apples on an acre of land of black soil in Kolhar of the Vijayapura district which is known for the grape crop. Apples are grown only in moderate temperate areas and need annual rainfall of 100 to 124 cm. The temperature should be 4 to 21 degrees Celsius. However, Vijayapur is a hot area.

Siddappa Balagonda, a farmer from the Kolhar town, grew up apples for over a year with a cost of around Rs 2 lakh which could be harvested in two months. The farmer is expecting higher profits due to the huge demand in the market. Speaking to ETV Bharat, Siddappa said, "Apple is not a delicate fruit like Grape and pomegranate. It is less prone to diseases. We did this as an experiment. This still needs to be changed. We took the suggestion of Universities and Agriculture Officers before growing them. We brought it up because our district is suitable for these fruits to grow."

According to Siddappa, apple plants were brought from Kashmir and planted. There is high demand in the local market for fruits. The apple grows only in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. Siddhappa has grown an apple on an acre of land for the time.