In a massive State-wide tree plantation campaign, saplings of Pear fruit will be planted on a large scale at Anuppur district on July 2. For this the Horticulture Department has completed all necessary preparations. Collector Ajay Sharma said that Amarkantak Biosphere Zone is favorable for the commercial production of Pear. Besides, the Forest Department will plant 8 lakh 38 thousand species of saplings in 1500 hectare land on the Narmada Basin of Anuppur.
The Collector informed that for the time being 5,000 saplings of Pear have already been planted. Nearly one lakh 29 thousand fruit-bearing saplings will be planted on both sides of the Narmada River in Anuppur. All will be of Pear and the Horticulture Department has prepared the plants. For the plantation, 618 farmers of 23 Gram Panchayats situated on the banks of Narmada have been chosen. The work of digging for the plantation in the selected 330.8 hectare land is in its last phase. Those farmers who plant Pear in their fields will be given grants as per rules.
Pear is a species of apple. The climate of Amarkantak is favorable for the growth of this fruit. While other fruit –bearing trees are affected with frost due to severe cold, the survival rate of Pear saplings is the highest. The sapling begins to bear fruit after four years of plantation. One tree bears at least 50-60 kg fruit. The Pear fruit is in high demand in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Several farmers are producing this fruit commercially at Pushparajgarh Tehsil in the district.
The gram Panchayats on the banks of the Narmada where the fruit saplings are to be planted are Basantpur, Bijapurin, Damehadi, Devri, Harrai, Harratola, Kachhartola, Kanchanpur, Karoundatela, Khajurvar, Khalhedudhi, Khati, Khetgaon, Koylari, lalpur, Mohandi, Paraswah, Puranga, Padariya, Itour, Bheemkundi, Amarkant and Thadpaghar.