Guavas are nutritious and delicious fruits. They can be eaten either raw or cooked. Because they contain vitamin C, people often eat them during cold seasons.
However, due to their short shelf life, they cannot be stored for longer periods. Therefore, if you wish to sell guavas commercially, you must ensure that your product meets certain quality standards. You should also make sure that you get enough customers who buy your products.
The scientific names of guavas are Psidium guajavan and Psidium guajave. They belong to the Myrtaceae (Myrtle) plant group. Guavas are among the most popular tropical fruit worldwide. They are used fresh and dried in cooking, jams, jellies, wines, teas, syrups, and juices. They are also used in medicine, cosmetics, perfumes, and aromatherapy.
Besides its high nutritious value, it yields a heavy crop every year this is the main reason why farmers are more interested in commercial guava farming. You will however require a precise management strategy to produce a highly profitable crop.
Guavas are produced mainly in India, China, Thailand, and Pakistan. However, they’re also produced in Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, and several other countries.
It’s common for people from different regions to speak differently. For example, “Guava” (in English) may be pronounced differently depending on where you’re from.
Economic Importance of Guava Farming
Because guavas are easy to grow, they’re well suited for large-scale commercial cultivation. Their nutritional value is good, and their popularity makes them suitable for processing into jams, juices, and canned goods.
Furthermore, guavas are used for making jelly, jams, pastes, juices, baby foods, purees, beverages, and syrups. They’re also used in winemaking and other industries. Some parts of the guava tree have medicinal and commercial uses too.
Guavas from India are exported mainly to the United States, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, etc.
Because guavas are highly perishable, they need to be transported quickly and properly packaged, and cushioned to maintain their freshness.
Health Benefits of Guava
- First of all, guava has vitamin C which protects cells from damage and lowers the risk of cancer.
- Guavas are high in fiber. Fiber lowers your glucose level.
- Vitamin A or Retinol is responsible for healthy vision.
- Folate promotes human reproduction.
- Guava contains potassium which helps normalize blood pressure.
- Magnesia is rich in calcium, which is good for bones and teeth. It helps to relax your nerves and muscle tissues.
- To help maintain healthy blood flow, you need to exercise regularly.
Things To Consider In Guava Farming
- Before planting guavas, you need to first come up with a proper aviculture plan including the input costs and financials.
- Choosing the right variety is important for your health.
- You might also consider planting some trees near the place where you’d like to grow guavas.
- Make sure you plan ahead for fertilization.
- Post-harvest management includes everything from drying to storage.
- You can use a high-dense planting method to maximize yields.
Best Varieties For Guava Farming
Allahabad, Lucknow, 46, 49, Arkanamulya, ArkaMridula, Banarasi, Baptala, ArkaKiran, Lalith, and Try(G) – 1 are the suitable varieties for cultivating. However, the most common guava cultivars are Allahabad Safedah, Lucknow 49, Allahabadi Safeda, and marijuana.
Some of the most common apple cultivars grown in India are Lucknow-49, Amrapali, and Chittaranjan. Research institutes are working hard to develop new cultivars and hybrid combinations.
Agro Climatic Condition For Guava Farming
Guavas do not require much water and thrive in warm weather. They can tolerate temperatures down to -5°C (23°F) during the night. Guavas produce fruits throughout the year, but they are most abundant during the summer months. The plant requires full sun and does not tolerate shade.
Suitable Soil For Guava Farming
Guavas do not require much water. They should only get enough water to keep them healthy. Add gypsum if your soil tends to be salty.
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Basic Steps For Guava Farming
Soil Preparation
To begin with, you need to dig deep into the soil. Secondly, you need to prepare the soil for planting. Finally, you can either physically or chemically sterilize the soil.
Planting
You can choose between a spacing distance of 5–8 meters, depending on the variety, the quality of the land, and the availability of water supply. If you want to maximize production, you can increase the number of plants by using dense planting.
Propagation
The Guava plant produces fruit from seed. Fruit trees grow slowly but they produce large quantities of high-grade fruit. You can propagate guavas through cuttings, layering, grafting, and budding. Cuttings are taken from the mother tree and planted into the soil.
Grafting involves joining two plants together so that one becomes part of the other. Layering involves removing a branch from a parent tree and planting it in the soil where it grows roots and branches. Budding involves taking off an existing leaf and replanting
Irrigation
The Guava plant does not need huge amounts of water. However, in the initial stages of growth, young guava trees need about eight to ten irrigations per year.
During the growing period, full-sized trees should receive water every week. Wintertime watering can help prevent drops in yield and increase the number of fruits produced during the following spring.
Manuring
Spraying the plants with 0.45 kilograms of zinc sulfate and 0.34 kilograms of slake lime dissolved in 16 liters of water is an effective method of treating zinc deficiencies.
The amount of spraying should depend on the severity and extent to which the plant is deficient. Before flower sprouting, pre-flower sprouts with boric acid and zinc sulfate increase yields and fruit size. Copper sulfate sprayed at 0.2 to.4 percent increases the growth and yields of guavas.
Plant Protection System For Guava Farming
Some common examples of harmful insects include tea mosquitoes, aphids, mealybugs, and fruit flies. These insects may be harmful if they infest your plants. It is best to adopt a proper pest management strategy.
On the one hand, the most serious disease in guavas is wilt; on the other hand, there are a number of minor illnesses, including canker, Cercospora leaf spot (CLS), seedling blight, etc.
You may also want to read our post on profitable cash crops.
Harvesting & Yield In Guava Farming
You can not keep the fruit on the trees in a ripe state. At maturity, you must collect it immediately. Guava fruit is ready for harvesting once the deep green color turns light and a yellow-green spot appears. Individual picking at regular intervals prevents any damage.
Yielding depends on different factors including the variety of apples, the time of year when they were planted, and the care and management of the trees. You can expect yields of up to 350 kilograms per acre for grafted apples and 90 kilograms per acre for seedlings.
To keep fruits fresh for longer periods of time, store them at a low temperature (50°C) and high relative humidities (75%-85%).
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