Deekshith D V

Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (DV)

Beltangady, Apr 22: Exotic and tropical fruit markets have huge demand in the country. Consumers are giving more importance to home-grown produce. Anil Balanja has been into agriculture for the last two decades cultivating tropical and exotic fruits which he has turned into his hobby.

Anil Balanja has planted more than 1500 different varieties of exotic and tropical fruits on his agricultural farm. He is cultivating fruits from all over the globe and that which suits the weather of the coastal region.

Anil ventured into the business of cultivating tropical and exotic fruits as a hobby after completing his PU.

Speaking to daijiworld.com Anil said, "We collect different varieties of saplings of fruits from across the world. We collected seeds from Brazil, Thailand, Indonesia, and other parts of the world. We provide saplings after studying the quality of saplings to the farmers."

Some varieties of saplings of fruits do not grow in this region. He has been engaging in farming on 35 acres of land. “I mainly cultivate rubber and areca but growing tropical fruits has become my hobby. There are 600 to 800 types of foreign and Indian fruits,” he says.

When the areca prices fell, Anil decided to cultivate tropical fruits. Anil is now providing saplings of fruits to farmers after studying the weather conditions and quality of the plant. He then sends the saplings to different states. Nearly 99% of saplings are grown organically.

He also provides guidance to interested farmers in cultivating different types of fruits.  Growing exotic and tropical fruits has a good market.