Rajkot: Dragon Gujarat is in demand on the international market.
However, for the past two years the farmers from Kutch have not been able to export dragon fruit, known as the Krima in the state, on a large scale because of the high costs involved in air transportation.
In the absence of cold storage facilities.
For ‘Kabalam’, it is not possible for Kutch farmers to store large amounts of exotic fruit that must be exported through the sea route.
For shipping purposes, one container requires a minimum amount of 20 tons of fruit.
If a farmer harvest fruit, which has been cooked around 75%, it can last up to 30-35 days at normal room temperature.
Farmers now demand the creation of cold storage facilities so that they can export through large numbers of sea routes that will make them competitive in the international market.
It is planted with Kutch, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Amreli farmers.
This fruit has a good export market in the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Middle East, Maldives and even Bangladesh.Haresh Thacker a ‘Kamalam’ Grower and exporters from Kutch said, “We don’t have enough amounts so we can export through the sea route .
On the other hand, air shipping costs around Rs 250 per kg while packaging fees around Rs 50.
It makes our fruit more expensive by RS 300.
“Thacker, who cultivated ‘Karisalam’ at 60 acres exported by almost 3,400 kg of products in several months final.
‘Karalam’ is currently being exported through air cargo from Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
According to exporters, Vietnam, one of the largest exporters of the fruit in the world market, is able to sell with far cheaper rates because they are exporting through the sea route.
“Our imported in India from Vietnam is sold with Rs 80 per kg.
Because the export costs through the sea route are only Rs 10 per kg,” Thacker added.
Vishal Gada, one of the pioneers of the cultivation of ‘Kamalam’ at Kutch, has helped many farmers embrace New plants.
Gada fostered fruit in more than 75 hectares of agriculture.
“We only export 100 kg through Mumbai-based exporter.
We explore the international market and are in talks with some exporters,” said Gada.