Red Aloe Vera Farming in India | How To Grow Red Aloe Vera

Planning to grow red aloe vera in your small farmland? This brief guide on Red Aloe Vera Farming in India is going to help you a lot!

Red Aloe has fleshy and curved leaves, draped in the shades ranging from deep green to copper-red depending upon the sun exposure. It is extensively cultivated nowadays due to its medicinal, healing, and herbaceous properties. Many cosmetics, as well as pharmaceuticals industries, are showing great interest in this aloe variety. So, if you are inclined towards its farming, you can undoubtedly make a good profit by selling it. Know what are the basic requirements for Red Aloe Vera Farming in India!

---

Land Preparation

Plough and ladder your land to make the soil weed-free. Then, level the soil evenly. Add 20 t/ha Farmyard Manure with 2.5 t/ha of vermicompost after the plantation of the crop. For controlling termites, you can apply 350-400 kg Neem Cake per hectare. Form ridges and furrows around 40-45cm apart.

---

Plantation

Its planting is generally done using either rhizome cuttings or root suckers. For root suckers propagation, you should choose a healthy and medium-sized root. Dig down to the base without hurting the mother plant. Snip from the base, and you can directly use these suckers to cultivate new plants. For the rhizomes cuttings, after harvesting the leaves, dig out for an underground rhizome. Take 3-4 inches of cutting and do ensure it consists of at least 2-3 nodes. Let the cutting dry for 3-4 days in the shade until it forms a callus. Once it develops a callus, you can plant this cutting.

---

How to Cultivate Red Aloe Vera?

Soil

Although aloe vera can grow in any type of soil, ranging from sandy loamy to sandy clay, but the soil type must be light and well-draining. As there can be a risk of root rot if they stand in stagnant water for a long time.  Sandy soil containing a high amount of organic matter with 7-8.5 pH is considered ideal. It is also preferred that the land area for aloe farming should be within an altitude range beginning from the sea level and reaching up to 1200-1300 m.

Climate

Aloe vera farming responds well to the hot and humid climatic regions. The areas with moderate rainfall conditioning ranging between 1000–1200 mm are considered best for red aloe farming in India. Since aloe vera belongs from the arid and hot regions, it is sensitive to cooler temperatures and doesn’t show proper cultivation when exposed to cold climates. Hence, states like Gujarat and Rajasthan are famous for aloe vera farming.

Water

Aloe vera can do well with moderate or low rainfall areas since it doesn’t require much watering like other crops. It requires 4 to 6 irrigation cycles annually for optimal growth. Frequent irrigation is best after the plantation and some light watering, right after harvesting its leaves. Make sure to avoid water logging near the crop during rainy seasons. Many farmers adopt drip and sprinkler irrigation for aloe vera farming. Irrigate during morning and evening for optimum results.

Sunlight

Red aloe does well in warm climates and requires plenty of 5-7 hours of bright sunlight. Filtered sunlight and the shady condition is also appropriate.

Spacing

Many Indian farmers consider the spacing of 60 cm x 30 cm between the aloe plants is ideal. Many Indian farmers also adopt 40 by 45 cm spacing.

---

Pests and Diseases

In red aloe vera farming, the most common problem is the fungal disease that leads to white spots on the leaves and issues like basal stem drop. Do not let the plants stand in stagnant water, especially during the rainy season. Use fungicides to get rid of this problem. Also, to prevent aloe from the damage by aphids, the application of organic sources like insecticidal soap, raw garlic juice, neem oil (10,000 ppm), 2-3 ml per liter shows good results.

---

Harvesting

You can harvest the aloe leaves after 8-9 months of planting. While cutting its leaves, make sure to pay some care so that the loss of juice does not occur. October to November months are best for its harvest.

---

Red Aloe Vera Benefits

• Anti-microbial properties– It contains compounds like phenol, cinnamonic acid, and sulfur that retard the activity of fungus and bacteria.
• Skin treatment– The gel preset in its leaves has healing properties that reduce wrinkles, psoriasis, and skin burn.
• Improves Immunity– The compound Acemannan present in the leaves of red aloe helps in increasing macrophages and forming white blood cells that help in boosting up immunity.
• Anti-diabetic properties– Aloe vera consists of many antioxidants that help in reducing sugar levels in the blood.