Normally, every one of us knows that apples only grow under cold climatic conditions like Kashmir. But one innovative and passionate farmer from Maharashtra has changed this notion and is growing apples in a hot climate in India. By this, everyone got attracted to his farm and everyone was visiting his farm.
Let’s go deep into the article, and we also know the complete details of this innovative farmer like how he started and how he grew apples in hot climates and many more.
Story Behind the Award-Winning Farmer Success with Growing Unique Variety of Apples
Kakasaheb Sawant is a farmer of Antral village in Sangli, Jath Taluka (Maharashtra) who has grown the HRMN – 99 apple variety in India in a hot climate. This variety was grown by Himachal farmer Hariman Sharma.
Jath Taluka is a village at the border of Karnataka, which is very sunny with temperatures in summer like 43 degrees Celsius and in winter it doesn’t even cross the 27 degrees mark. That land is hot compared with other regions in India.
Even the rainfall is limited to 30 days a year averaging 560mm. Growing apples in such weather conditions is no less than a miracle. That is a reason everyone is visiting his farm to see them.
Today, as he has success, everyone is visiting his farm and talking about his success, but when he got this idea many people laughed at him.
Birth Story of the All-Terrain Variety: Hariman Sharma
In 1999, Sharma observed a sapling that was grown in his courtyard, at Paniala village of Bilaspur district. This village is situated 1800 feet above the sea level. By realizing the potential of this unique variety, he grafted the tree with a plum tree.
So that it improved fruit quality. After seeing the fruits of that variety he started growing more with eight trees and it has given quintal of fruits each year.
The fruits are in the size of regular apples with the earth shade color in red tinges on the side. And Sharma’s innovation was recognized and named this fruit variety as HRMN -99.
Resilience in the Face of Climate Crisis – Why HRMN -99 Variety is Unique
This variety of apples is unique because the changing climate has posed remarkable challenges for apple growers in the Himachal regions of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, and more.
Inappropriate rises in temperature and rainfall patterns and the reduced chilling hours have damaged the apple varieties. But this HRMN-99 variety has given hope to many.
To study this apple variety in different climatic conditions the National Innovation Foundation India (NIF) has planted 10000 saplings by 1190 farmers in 2015 – 2017.
Even Sharma explained that this variety does not require many chilling hours for flowering and fruit setting. Chilling hours is nothing but when the plant is maintained at one temperature. Normal apple fruit plant temperature should be 0-7 degrees.
If there is excessive rain or fog the fruit will get fungal spots. But this variety will resist the scab disease.
Award-Winning Moment in Sharmas’ Life
By growing this HRMN -99 variety of apples and as it has given successful fruiting in many countries worldwide, Sharma is awarded “Plant Breeders” for his innovation. He has shown that everything is possible if we have knowledge and strength.
You can harvest this plant variety in early June after 3 years of planting. For a seven-year-old plant, you will get 1 quintal of fruits which you cannot even believe. Many of us know that growing apples is a wonder in warm temperatures.
Even though there are many people selling the HRMN-99 variety, if you want to get the best one buy from the government-certified nursery located at Bilaspur.
This apple variety has even found buyers from countries like Bangladesh, South Africa, Germany, Zambia, and Nepal.
Already with this growth it has been awarded by the government and again Sawant has rewritten that record by growing this HRMN-99 apple variety at very high temperatures like 40-45 degrees Celsius. For this, he was awarded by the NIF government.
Even they had found that at 45 degrees Celsius the fruit is able to resist the diseases.
Remarkable Yield of Kakasaheb Sawant
Kakasaheb Sharma planted 150 plants in one acre but 125 plants survived. And each tree gives 30 to 40 apples weighing between 100 to 200 gms. And by seeing Sawant’s effort his two brothers supported him. And they transformed 20 acres of land into an orchard.
They have trusted Sawant and provided land in this type of region where farming activities are done at the mercy of nature. Sawants brothers helped to lay 4 pipelines and they are 4 km long. So that they can take water from the Mhaisal irrigation Scheme on the Krishna River.
For Sawant, the government of Maharashtra has recognized his effort and excellence in fruit cultivation and provided an award named “recipient of Udyan Pandit”.
Future of HRMN -99 Apples
Many of the officials have visited the orchard of Kakasaheb and said that there is some more improvement required in the fruit setting and the palatability. And they said that it will be overcome with the increase of seasons taht we have seen in dragon fruit farming.
And for this all-terrain variety, the present market price that they are giving to farmers is Rs.200 per kilo. And even the price is very pleasing to the farmer. By this many farmers will come forward to grow this variety.
By seeing the successful cultivation that was done by Kaksaheb Sawant has shown how farmers have the innovative spirit to face challenging situations, in agriculture.
According to Hariman Sharma, everyone knows that there is an apple variety that grows in hot climates too.
Final Outcomes
We are hoping that the information we have provided on growing apples in a hot climate is beneficial for you. This success story of this apple variety gives hope for many farmers to research other temperate fruit crops.
This will help to mitigate the adverse conditions that are rising due to global warming.
If you know any farmers, who want to start a successful crop in your area, you can happily tell them about this crop. For many other successful farmer articles, check out our official website.