FRUITS & CROPS

“Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.”
Mother Teresa

Fruits are vital source of nutrition and an essential ingredient of human diet. Fruits constitute an important part of nearly every type of cuisine in the world. Almost all vitamins that we need for the healthy functioning of our bodies are found in fruits. Their unique nutrient profile helps the human body to be fit, rejuvenate, and be free of diseases. Fruits are in fact life-enhancing medicines packed with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and many micro-nutrients. Research has shown that diets high in fruits result in reduced risk of many serious diseases.

There are around 2000 species of fruits in the world, of which only 10% are grown and consumed on a regular basis. India is the second largest fruit producer in the world. The major fruits grown in India are mango, grapes, apple, apricot, orange, banana, avocado, guava, papaya, sapota and water melon. Mango is India’s national fruit and jack fruit is the official fruit of Kerala. Cultivation of exotic fruits such as rambutan, mangosteen and dragon fruit is becoming popular particularly in Kerala, as the common man looks for variety in fruit consumption. Home-grown fruits always taste better than store-bought fruits for a variety of reasons – freshness and non-use of chemical fertilisers being the chief ones.

We have about 50 fruit plant varieties. We pluck what we need for ourselves and leave the rest to their rightful owners – the birds and animals. We also have few crop plants such as coffee, pepper, coconut, nutmeg, cashew, arecanut etc, all on a hobby-farming scale.