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Increasing demand, following reports of health benefits and good prices they fetch, has encouraged several farmers in Kerala to take up mangosteen cultivation.
A number of growers in Pathanamthitta, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Kottayam districts, have planted the saplings of the ‘Queen of the fruit.’
Gestation periodJoshua Daniel, a planter and trader of mangosteen based in Konni in Pathanamthitta district, told Business Line that he has planted 1,200 three-year-old saplings which would start yielding after 5 years. Thus, the total gestation period is eight years and will continue to yield for over a century, he said.
According to Daniel, the Eraviperoor area in Pathanamthitta produces an estimated 500 tonnes of mangosteen, followed by Kozhencherry, Konni, Kottayam, and Pariyaram in Chalakkudy. As supply has picked up, prices are currently in the range of ₹100-120 a kg.
The harvested fruits are transported mainly to the Koyambedu market in Chennai and to Bangalore and Hyderabad. There are also traders based in Erattupettai who supply the fruit to other metros such as Mumbai, market sources said. “We have 15 fruit-bearing trees and traders come and offer prices on fruits per tree basis. We have given them all for ₹1.25 lakh,” Thomas P Thomas, a botanist and grower in Kozhencherry said. It is harvested in March to August in Kerala, he said.
Mangosteen is native to South-East Asia and requires a warm, very humid and equatorial climate to grow. It is found in tropical countries in Asia such as Thailand, India, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
It also grows reasonably well in areas such as Hawaii and tropical Northern Australia, said Thomas. Therefore, mangosteen is grown in the banks of Pampa, Manimala, Meenachil and Periyar rivers in Kerala’s southern districts as the sandy soil contains good moisture content.
Mangosteen fruit contains anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Scientific research has proved its effectiveness against breast cancer, liver cancer and leukemia.
In addition, Mangosteen also exhibits anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory properties.
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