Monk Fruit Cultivation in India | Growing Arhat

If you are thinking of Growing Arhat Fruit then there’s good news! Monk Fruit Cultivation in India has started already! Let’s have a look at the details.

Monk Fruit Cultivation in India was never seen before in the Indian market but its cultivation has started in the city of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh. Let’s dive deep into it!

Here’s all you need to know about blueberry cultivation in India

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Monk Fruit Cultivation in India

Palampur-based Council of Scientific Research and Industrial Technology and Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology (CSIR-IHBT) on July 12, 2021, introduced the ‘monk fruit’ from China for field trials in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh.

According to CSIR-IHBT, it is the first-ever monk fruit cultivation in India. Fifty seedlings were imported from China by CSIR-IHBT three years back. They were planted in the fields of farmer Manav Khullar from Raison village.

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Monk Fruit Information

• The monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii), is also known as Luo Han Guo, Buddha fruit, or Arhat fruit. It is named after the monks who first used it.
• It is also popular as a non-caloric natural sweetener and has a very sweet taste, thanks to its cucurbitane-type triterpene glycosides.
  

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Agro-tech Methods for Monk Cultivation: CSIR-IHBT

CSIR-IHBT has created an effective method to reduce germination time and has also developed efficient planting techniques, standardized harvesting time, and post-harvest management practices.

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Monk Fruit: Conditions for Cultivation

The monk fruit is best grown in the mountains, with temperatures ranging between 12 to 24 degrees Celsius. The fruit is native to southern parts of China, in the mountainous areas of Yongfu, Longsheng, and Lingui counties in the northern Guangxi district.

Although the fruit has high demand in the international market, China is still the only country growing it. However, suitable agro-climatic conditions for cultivating the fruit have now been found in Himachal Pradesh, India.

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Benefits of Monk Fruit 

CSIR-IHBT states that intake of added cane sugars can cause dangerous health issues such as heart disease, metabolic syndrome, Type-2 diabetes, liver problems, and insulin resistance.

Monk fruit, being an excellent natural source of low-calorie sweetener compounds, can be an excellent replacement for the same.

Read more about rare fruits in India