WHY IN NEWS?

Cultivation of ‘monk fruit’ from China has started in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh. The fruit was introduced for field trials in Himachal Pradesh by Palampur-based Council of Scientific Research and Industrial Technology-Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology (CSIR-IHBT).

ABOUT:

• Monk fruit is known for its properties as non-caloric natural sweetener.
• Field trials have begun three years after CSIR-IHBT imported its seeds from China and grew it in house.
• Fifty seedlings of fruit were planted in fields of a farmer from Raison village for field trials and a ‘Material Transfer Agreement’ was signed with the farmer.
• Economic benefits of new crop are estimated to be between Rs 3 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh per hectare.
• Flowering pattern, pollination behaviour and fruit setting time were also documented in order to draw complete life-cycle of monk fruit in agro-climatic conditions of the region