Reference: Farmer Abdul Hanif, Longan orchard.
Contact: 9961734123
Longan also finds a place in the list of commercial fruit crops.
In Kerala’s plains and hilly regions, Longan is a fruit crop that can be cultivated commercially. Generally, a plant grown from seed will start bearing fruit in 10 to 12 years. Budded or grafted saplings bear fruit sooner.
It is a low-maintenance crop. It grows well in both sunny areas and in the shade of other trees. It is said that it can also withstand drought to some extent.
Longan is sweet. The fruit has a single seed inside. The flesh is translucent. Its scientific name is Dimocarpus longan.
Currently, the longan being cultivated in our country is mostly from Thailand. Apart from this, there are also longan varieties from Vietnam.
Even though it is not widely available in our market, there is a lot of demand for longan among those who have tasted it.
Among the longan varieties suitable for cultivation in our climate are Chomphu, Haew, and Biew Kiew.
It grows well in areas up to 400 meters above sea level.
Sandy loam soil is most suitable.
It grows well in both sunny areas and in the shade of other trees.
Even though it can withstand drought to some extent, it requires irrigation during summer.
A dry spell of about 30 days before flowering is beneficial. It is a crop that does not require much care. It is a fruit that can be easily cultivated in our climate.
As it grows, it is good to apply manure. It is better to use organic fertilizers. For this, cow dung, goat manure, chicken manure, etc., can be used. It is also good to provide irrigation.
- ✅Each plant should be planted at a distance of 30 feet from each other.
- ✅Pits should be one meter deep, one meter wide, and one meter long.
- ✅Organic manure, bone meal, and neem cake should be mixed with the topsoil to fill the pits.
- ✅Saplings should be planted in the center of the pit.
- ✅After planting, provide support and shade. Water regularly.
For those who plant longan in their backyards, one or two plants are sufficient.
After flowering, the fruits take about 15 weeks to mature.
It is advisable to cover the fruit bunches with nets. This can protect them from birds and bats.
The fruits can be harvested when they are fully ripe.
After harvesting, they can be stored for about two weeks at room temperature.
The farmer Abdul Hanif says that they can be stored for more than a month in the refrigerator.
It is better to prune the branches after harvesting. This helps sunlight reach all parts of the tree. A dry spell before flowering is good for the tree. It is beneficial to stop watering for about a month. This can induce the plant to flower. It should be watered after flowering. Provide organic manure at the base of the tree as well.
Among the longan varieties available in our country are Diamond River, Biew Kiew, Haew, Daw, Chomphu, Red Longan, White Longan, Kohala, Pingpong, Crystal, Edour, etc. These are varieties with different tastes and characteristics.
In season, you can get 5 kg to 10 kg of fruit from a tree.
As the tree grows, you can get up to 100 kg.
A price of ₹300 to ₹450 per kilogram is available in the market.
There is a huge demand for longan in the market.
Abdul Hanif says that by properly caring for the trees, one can earn a good income.
Compared to other foreign fruits, longan is a highly profitable fruit. It is not very susceptible to diseases. Abdul Hanif says that by cultivating longan properly, we can earn a good income.
