Now Reading: Demand can save indigenous fruits from vanishing, say experts
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Demand can save indigenous fruits from vanishing, say experts
Indigenous fruits like Leteku (Burmese grape), Poniol, and Thekera are disappearing from Indian landscapes and diets due to urbanisation, land-use change, and the shift to commercial crops, according to experts and a…
Indigenous fruits like Leteku (Burmese grape), Poniol, and Thekera are disappearing from Indian landscapes and diets due to urbanisation, land-use change, and the shift to commercial crops, according to experts and a study published last year. These fruits offer nutritional, medicinal, and ecological benefits, but lack of research and documentation obscures the exact scale of decline.
Farmers are encouraged to grow non-native crops such as strawberries and kiwi for better returns, leaving local varieties neglected. Community observations in Assam and Meghalaya show once-common fruits becoming rarer, with older generations recalling greater diversity. Experts say value addition, better documentation, and community-centred commercialisation could create demand and help conserve these species.
Indian Opinion Analysis
India's indigenous fruits are a genetic reservoir for climate-resilient agriculture, but they lack the institutional support given to cash crops. The National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources has documented hundreds of underutilised species, yet few enter formal supply chains. What is at stake is not just taste or tradition: these fruits provide micronutrients that processed diets lack, especially in tribal and rural areas. The next step is for state horticulture missions to include local fruits in their promotion schemes, as Kerala has done with its 'traditional fruit tree' programme. Watch for the upcoming revision of the National Horticulture Mission guidelines, where indigenous crops may finally get a dedicated funding line.
Source: india.mongabay.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
