Fig (Ficus carica) ANJEER CULTIVATION PROJECT

Fig (Ficus carica) is one of fruits in cultivation since ancient times. It is a highly nutritious fruit valued for its dietary and medicinal properties.

Fig is very delicious fruit and popularly known as `anjeer` in india, fig is mostly confined to part of gujrat maharashtra, UP, tamilnadu and karnataka,

The fruit and leaves are used to make medicine. Fig FRUIT is used as a laxative to relieve constipation. Fig LEAF is used for diabetes, high cholesterol, and skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and vitiligo. Figs are also used as a quick and healthy way to gain weight after suffering from an illness.

Fig can grow to more than 2.4m tall in only three month and start bearing fruits, there are 21 popular varieties fig that are being cultivated in the world

Planting Material
Cuttings of about 25 cm in length having 3-6 nodes from the wood of previous season are usually used .Tissue culture plants can also be used. Vijaya Phyto Farms Pvt. Ltd. produces ‘ready made’ (ready to bear plants) tissue culture Fig planting material that are capable of producing commercial yield from 6th month of planting.

Cultivation
Fig favours areas having arid or semi-arid environment, high summer temperature, plenty of sunshine and moderate winter. The plant has better threshold limit for higher temperature than for the lower. Although plants can survive temperature as high as 45°C, the fruit quality deteriorates beyond 39°C. Mature trees can withstand temperature up to 4°C, but young ones need protection. Climate has an important bearing on size, shape and colour of skin and pulp. A relatively cool climate stimulates production of larger and elongated fruits.

You should harvest figs when they are fully ripe. The figs should be fully colored and slightly soft to the touch. When picking figs, wear gloves or long sleeves because the sap from the fig tree can irritate your skin. Figs are very perishable. Store figs in the refrigerator; they will keep for 2 to 3 days. For long-term storage, you can freeze figs whole for later use. Another storage method is to dry the figs.

Spacing
As a single crop at 2.5-5m x 2.5-5m spacing (400-1600 plants/ha) or as an intercrop for 5 years in high density plantation (in between rows of main crop) at 3m x 1.5m spacing to accommodate nearly 1100 trees/ha..
Pit size 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm.

Manures and Fertilizers
Nutrient requirements vary according to soil type. The annual requirement can be given in divided doses half after pruning and remaining after 2 months when the fruits are developing.
Irrigation: Fig can sustain heat and drought. However, for commercial production timely irrigation is necessary. Flood irrigation at an interval of 10-12 days during summer is ideal. However, if drip irrigation is adopted 15-20 litres of water/day/plant needs to be provided.

Training and Pruning
Fig trees are trained initially to a single stem and allowed to grow to a height of about 1m and then it is topped. Light pruning is practiced in Poona Fig after the monsoon is over i.e. in October.

Pests The major pests of fig are stem borers, leaf defoliators and fig flies.

Diseases Important disease of fig is rust.

Expenditure per acre 

Distance (in acre) Sapling (in land) Cost (per plant) Total Fertilizer Cost of cultivation
10*10 ft 440 90 rs. 440*90 = 39,600 /- 20,000 59,600 /-
Total Expenses: 59,600 /-

INCOME & YIELD per acre 

Income of year From each plant Total Company buy-back Total
Year 1st 10 kg 440*10 = 4400 kg 50 rs. kg 4400*50 = 2,20,000 /-
Year 2nd 15 kg 440*15 = 6600 kg 50 rs. kg 6600*50 = 3,30,000 /-
Year 3rd 20 kg 440*20 = 8800 kg 50 rs. kg 8800*50 = 4,40,000 /-
Total 3 years income = 9,90,000/-