AONLA

1.

INTRODUCTION

Aonla (Emblica officinalis) or Indian gooseberry is indigenous to Indian sub-continent. India

ranks first in the world in area and production of this crop. Apart from India naturally growing
trees are found in different parts of the world like Sri Lanka, Cuba, Puerto Rico, USA (Hawai
& Florida), Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, China, Malaysia, Bhutan, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines,
Trinidad, Panama and Japan.
2.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this report is to present a one acre bankable model for high quality
commercial cultivation of the crop.
3.

BACKGROUND

3.1

Area & Production

Aonla is mostly cultivated in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh etc. (Vide Table-1)
Table 1 : State-wise Area, Production & Productivity of
Aonla during 1999-2000
State

Area
Production
(000 Ha.)
(000 MT)
Uttar Pradesh
15.75
63.00
Gujarat
10.05
12.00
Rajasthan
5.00
6.00
Maharashtra
4.00
5.60
Haryana
0.60
3.10
Mizoram
0.07
0.20
Tamil Nadu
5.50
8.25
Andhra Pradesh
3.00
4.50
Karnataka
1.80
2.70
Bihar
1.35
2.00
Others
2.50
3.75
TOTAL
49.62
111.10
Source : Market Study of aonla (UPLDC-Nov.,2002).
3.2

Productivity
(MT/Ha.)
4.0
1.5
1.2
1.4
5.2
2.9
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
-

Economic Importance

The fruit is a good source of vitamin C. The fruit is having medicinal value. It has acrid,
cooling, diuretic and laxative properties. Dried fruits are useful in haemorrhages, diarrhea,
dysentery, anaemia, jaundice, dyspepsia and cough. Aonla is used in the indigenous
medicines (Aurvedic system) viz. trifla and chavanprash. Fruits are commonly used for
preserve (murabbas), pickles, candy, jelly and jam. Besides fruits, leaves, bark and even
seeds are being used for various purposes.
4.

MARKET ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY

4.1

Demand and Supply patterns

Domestic consumers provide major market to aonla. Increasing health consciousness

among people as well as growing popularity of alternate medicine and herbal products is
enhancing the requirement of aonla both in domestic and international markets.
4.2

Analysis and Future Strategy

The following measures need to be considered in order to boost production and marketing of
aonla.

A three-tier system involving growers, processors and exporters may be

formed along with export processing zones and marketing boards.

Storage, pre-cooling and transport facilities to help the growers realize

better price.

5.

PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

5.1

Agro-climatic requirements

Aonla being a sub-tropical crop prefers dry sub-tropical climate. Heavy frost during the winter
season is not suitable for its cultivation.
Slightly acidic to saline/sodic soil having pH between 6.5 to 9.5 is suitable for cultivation.
5.2

Growing and Potential Belts

The state-wise important growing belts are given in the following :

State
Haryana
Himachal Pradesh
Karnataka
Madhya Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Uttar Pradesh
5.3

Growing belts
Bewal, Gurgaon
Palampur, Bilaspur, Hamirpur
Bilgiri Rangan hills in Mysore
Dewas, Hoshangabad, Shivani, Tikamgarh, Betul, Chindwara,
Shivapurkala, Panna, Rewa, Satna
Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Sivagangai, Coimbatore, Salem,
Dindugal
Pratagarh, Rai Bareli, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Sultanpur, Kanpur,
Fatehpur, Agra, Mathura

Varieties Cultivated

Varieties viz. Kanchan (NA 4), Krishna (NA 5), NA 6, NA 7 and NA 10 are commercially
cultivated.
5.4

Land Preparation

Land is prepared by ploughing, harrowing, leveling and removing weeds.

5.5

Planting

5.5.1

Planting Material

Aonla is propagated by budding or softwood grafting.

5.5.2

Planting season

Planting of aonla is mainly done in July-August.

5.5.3

Spacing

Grafted or budded plants are planted 4-5 meter apart under square system of layout during
July-August or February.

5.5.4

Planting Method

Pits of 1-1.25 m. size are dug two months prior to planting. In each pit 3-4 baskets of well
rotten farmyard manure and 1 kg. neem cake or 500 g. bone-meal are mixed with soil and
filled in the pits. In sodic soil, 5-8 kg. gypsum along with 20 kg. sand is filled in the pit
Irrigation is provided immediately after this. Ber,guava and lemon are usually planted in the
centre of each square of aonla plants. Hedge-row planting is also being tried keeping line-toline distance of 8 m., while plant to plant distance is reduced to 4-5 m.
5.6

Nutrition

A dose of 10 kg. farmyard manure, 100 g. N, 50 g. P and 100 g. K should be given to one
year old plants. This dose is increased on yearly basis upto tenth year and thereafter a
constant dose is given. Full dose of farmyard manure and P and half of N and K is given in
tree basin during January-February. The remaining half should be applied in August. In
sodic soils, 100-500 g. of B and zinc sulphate should also be incorporated along with
fertilizers as per age of the tree.
5.7

Irrigation

Irrigation is provided at an interval of 15-20 days in dry summer. No irrigation is required

during rainy and winter season. First irrigation is provided just after manure & fertilizer
application (January/February). Irrigation is not provided during the flowering period i.e. midMarch and April.
5.7.1

Drip Irrigation

Plant height, canopy spread and stock girth have been found significantly better under
alternate day drip irrigation over the conventional method. With the use of drip irrigation
yield of 30 kg/tree is achieved in third year itself in gravelly soil against 20 kg./ tree in 4-5
years in rainfed aonla orchards.
5.8

Taining & Pruning

The plants are trained to modified central leader system. Two to four branches with wide
crotch angle, appearing in the opposite directions should be encouraged in early years. The
unwanted branches are pinched off during March-April. In the subsequent years, 4-6

branches should be allowed to develop. Regular pruning of a bearing aonla tree is not
required. As per growth habit, shedding of all determinate shoots encourages new growth in
coming season. However, dead, infested, broken, weak or overlapping branches should be
removed regularly.
5.9

Mulching

Paddy straw, sugarcane trash and farmyard manure are used for mulching.
5.10

Inter-cropping

Vegetables, flowers and a few medicinal /aromatic plants are well suited for intercropping in
aonla orchards. The average cost of inter cropping would be Rs.10,000/- per acre.
5.11

Plant Protection Measures

5.11.1 Insect Pests

Leaf rolling caterpillar, shoot gall maker, mealy bug and pomegranate butterfly are major
constraints in aonla production. The pests can be managed through clean cultivation,
avoiding the over crowing of branches, spraying with malathion or monocrotophos or
endosulphon depending on the type of pest infestation.
5.11.2 Diseases
The Crop is suspect to diseases like ring rust, fruit rot, leaf rot etc.Timely treatment and
control measures are needed.
5.11.3 Disorders
Necrosis, a physiological disorder has been observed in aonla fruits. This particular disorder
has been observed mostly in case of Banarasi and Francis varieties.
5.12

Harvesting and Yield

Fully developed brown coloured fruits are harvested. Delay in harvesting results in heavy
dropping of fruits in case of some varieties. Harvesting is usually done during the early or in
the late hours of the day.
A budded/grafted tree starts bearing third year onwards after planting, whereas a seedling
tree may take 6-8 years. Vegetatively propagated plants attain full bearing within 10-12 years
and may continue to bear for 60-75 years of age under well managed conditions.
An aonla tree may bear 1-3 q./tree , giving 15-20 tonnes/ha.
6.

POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT

6.1

Grading

The fruits are harvested manually and sorted according to their size. Fruits are graded into
three types on the basis of their size. The large sized fruits are mostly used for preserve and
candy; small sized for preparing chavanprash and trifla and the blemished fruits for powder
and shampoo making.
6.2

Storage

Fruits can be stored for a period of 6-9 days under ordinary conditions.
6.3

Packing

Bamboo baskets are mostly used for carrying the produce from farm to local market.
6.4

Transportation

Road transport by trucks/lorries is the most convenient mode of transport due to easy
approach from orchards to the market.
6.5

Marketing

Most of the growers sell their produce either through trade agents at village level or
commission agents at the market.
7.

TECHNOLOGY SOURCES

Major sources for technology are:

i)

Horticulture Deptt. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Lawley Road, Coimbatore641003.

State Horticultural Farm, Periakulam, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu.
State Horticultural Farm, Reddiyarchatram, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu.
Progressive growers of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu.

ii)
iii)
iv)

8.
8.1

ECONOMICS OF A ONE ACRE MODEL

High quality commercial cultivation of crop by using improved planting material and
drip irrigation leads to multiple benefits viz.

Synchronized growth, flowering and harvesting;

Reduction in variation of off-type and non-fruit plants;
Improved fruit quality;
Early maturity;
Considerable increase in productivity.

Costs & Returns:

8.2

A one acre plantation of the crop is a highly viable proposition. The cost
components of such a model along with the basis for costing and means of financing
are exhibited in Annexures I. A summary is given in the figure below. The project
cost works out to around Rs.1.25 lakhs.
Figure-I : COST OF PROJECT
Project Cost:
Sl.
No.
1.

Component
Cultivation Expenses

(Amount in Rs.)
Proposed
Expenditure

(i)
(ii)
(iii)

Cost of planting material

Input Cost
Cost of Labour (Land preparation)

Project for Cultivation of Aonla( With Drip

Irrigation)
COST OF PROJECT

3,200
8,800

ANNEXURE
(Rs In
Thousand

PARTICULARS

AMOUNT

TOTAL

24.0
LAND & SITE DEVELOPMENT

24.00

7.60

PLANT & MACHINERY

75.00

COST OF PLANTATION

18.40

125.00

62.50

25.00

7.6
BUILDING

75.0

18.4

125.0
TOTAL

MEANS OF FINANCE

62.5
FARMER'S SHARE

50%

25.0
SUBSIDY
NHB
- CAPITAL INVESTMENT

20%

25.00
37.5

TERM LOAN

37.50

37.50

37.5
-FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

30%

125.0
TOTAL

125.00

Project for Cultivation

of Aonla( With Drip Irrigation)
(Rs In
(Rs In Thousands
Thous )

ESTIMATED PROJECT
COST

TOT
AL

TOTAL
S.N
O. PARTICULARS
I.

Scale

LAND & SITE

DEVELOPMEN

Bas UNIT
is COST QTY

Q
Q
T
T
COS
Y COST Y COST T

COST

LAND*

ACRE

* (Cost of land is not

considered in th

Land Development

Levelling & Dressing

Per
Acre

Fencing & Gates

LS

BUILDING
Labour Shed cum Pump
House

0.00

0.00

Cost of Development

0 .00

4000

1.0

4.00

20000

20.00

4.00
20.0
0

SUB
TOTAL

24.00

24.
0.0 00

0.0

LS

PLANT &
MACHINERY

7600

SUB
TOTAL

7.60

7.60

7.60

7.6
0

25.00
25.00

25.0
0
25.0

Irrigation system
Borewell
SIP sets & Electrical

Nos.

LS

25000
25000

Installation
Drip Irrigation inc.
Fertigation syste

LS
Farm Equipment Machinery LS

20000
5000

SUB
TOTAL

1
1

0
20.0
0
5.00
0.00

20.00
5.00

75.00

0.00

0.00

75.0
0

COST OF
PLANTATION

Refer
Annex

Planting Material

3.20

Input Cost

8.80

Land Preparation

2.80

Other Cost Inc. Power Cost

3.60

3.20
0
8.80
0
2.80
0
3.60
0

18.40

18.4
0

TOTAL

125.00

125
.00

Annexure 1
ESTIMATED PROJECT COST
Unit One Acre

Sr.
No.
1

(Rs. in thousand)

Particulars

Scale

Unit Cost

Total
Qty

Cost

LAND & SITE DEVELOPMENT

LAND
Cost of Development
Land Development
Levelling & Dressing
Fencing & Gates

Per Acre
LS

4000
20000

1
1
Sub Total

4.00
20.00
24.00

BUILDING
Labour Shed cum Pump house

LS

7600

100
Sub Total

7.60
7.60

Nos.
LS
LS
LS

25000
25000
20000
5000

1
1
1
1
Sub Total

25.00
25.00
20.00
5.00
75.00

Sub Total
TOTAL

3.20
8.80
2.80
3.60
18.40
125.00

PLANT & MACHINERY

Irrigation system
Borewell
SIP sets & Electrical Installation
Drip Irrigation inc. Fertigation system
Farm Equipment Machinery

Acre

COST OF CULTIVATION
Planting Material
Input Cost
Land Preparation
Other Cost Inc. Power Cost

Annexure 2
COST OF PRODUCTION & PROFITABILITY

Particulars

(Rs. in thousand)
Year-III
Year-IV
54.00
70.00

Income

28.00

Year-II
40.00

Sales

28.00

40.00

54.00

70.00

Cost

21.90

23.70

25.80

27.60

Fixed

21.90

23.70

25.80

27.60

Manure/fertilizers/chemicals

8.00

8.00

9.00

9.00

Direct Labour cost

2.80

2.80

2.80

2.80

Other cost

3.60

3.60

3.60

3.60

Harvesting & transportation cost

7.20

9.00

10.10

11.90

00.30

0.30

0.30

0.30

Gross profit

6.20

16.40

28.30

42.50

Depreciation

5.80

5.80

5.80

5.80

Interest -term loan

4.50

4.50

4.30

3.50

(4.1)

18.20
-

33.20

6.10
-

Profit After Taxes

(4.1)

6.10

18.20

33.20

Retained Profit

(4.1)

6.10

18.20

33.20

Net cash Accrual

1.70

11.90

24.00

39.00

General expenses

Pre-operative Exp. W/O

Profit before tax
Taxes

Year-I