This set of slides describes the different types of fruits that can be grown organically in the Konkan Region (India's western coast) and was prepared for Goa.

1. Growing
Fruits
rganically
Miguel Braganza, Green Essentials & the
International Centre Goa

2. What grows
well in Goa?

3. The
Common
Favourites

4. Other
Popular
Choices

5. Some
Unusual
Options
SOURSOP KARONDASTAR FRUIT
CHERRYMAHALUNGVELVET APPLE
MANGOSTEEN KONKAN LEMON PASSION FRUIT

6. How to plan
your fruit
garden?

7. APPROACH 1
Pick your favourites

8. Everyone loves mangoes…but
• Think about other fruits too because you’re going to
have mangoes for a couple of months at most
• Explore new and favourite varieties so that you can
extend your fruiting season (early and late varieties)
• Goa has a diversity of local varieties in various fruits that
are worth considering because of their uniqueness
• Make sure your family and friends like what you grow,
because you are likely to have a lot of surplus in season
• Unfortunately, some favourites like apricots, plums,
apples, oranges and pears just don’t do well here. Avoid.

9. APPROACH 2
Plan by space and
conditions

11. Some Basic Considerations
• Where is the sunlight stronger?
• Do we have usable shade?
• How big will the tree grow?
• Will roots damage any structures?
• Is there open space or a house next door?
• How will I fertillise the grown tree?
• Do I want to keep the trees small?
• Are there climbing spaces I can use for a creeper?
• Do you want to try with pots on your roof?

12. High Density Growing
• Small trees are much easier
to spray, thin, prune, net,
and harvest than large
trees
• Summer pruning keeps
fruit trees small and
reduces new growth
(especially root systems)
• When planting a tree, cut
side limbs back by at least
two-thirds to promote
vigorous new growth
• Then, two or three times
per year, cut back or
remove limbs

13. Spacing for High Density

14. Why not in
Pots?
Actually, you should

20. APPROACH 3
Plan by timing of fruit

21. How long can
you wait?
Need fruits tomorrow?

22. FRUIT NAME FIRST
FRUITING
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Banana/Keli 1 year Fruits Fruits Plant Plant
Mango/Aame 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Sapota/Chikoo 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant Plant Fruits Fruits
Custard Apple/Sita phal 3 years Plant Plant Fruits Fruits
Jackfruit/Fanas 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Kokum/Bhinda 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Coconut/Maad 5 years Plant Plant Plant Fruits
all year
COMMON FAVOURITES
When to plant and harvest

23. FRUIT NAME FIRST
FRUITING
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Pineapple/Ananas 1 year Fruits Plant
Lemon 1 year Fruits Fruits Plant Fruits Fruits
Pomegranate/Anaar 2 years Fruits Plant
Guava/Peru 2 years Fruits Fruits Plant Fruits Fruits
Rose Apple 2 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Gooseberry/Amla 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Jamun/Jambul 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Watermelon/Kaling 4 months Plant Plant Fruits Fruits Fruits Plant Plant
OTHER POPULAR CHOICES
When to plant and harvest

24. UNUSUAL OPTIONS
When to plant and harvest
FRUIT NAME FIRST FRUITING JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Soursop/Mamphal 3 years Plant Fruits Fruits
Karonda 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Star Fruit/Karmal 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Mahalung 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Cherry 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Velvet Apple 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Mangosteen 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant
Konkan Lemon 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant Fruits Fruits
Avocado 3 years Plant Fruits Fruits
Cocoa 3 years Fruits Fruits Plant Fruits Fruits
Passion Fruit 1 year Fruits Fruits Plant

25. FILL UP YOUR FRUIT CALENDAR
Just an example
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
? ? Chikoo Chikoo Mango Banana ?
Kaling Kaling Pineapple Cocoa Cocoa
Guava Guava Anaar Custard
Apple
Custard
Apple
Mango Guava Guava Chikoo Chikoo
Avocado Avocado

26. Guidelines
for your
fruit garden

27. #1
Growing fruits
requires a lot of
patience

28. #2
Plan space carefully,
so you don’t affect
your structures

29. #3
Fruit trees can
produce a lot of
surplus, so plan for
this

30. #4
Keeping the tree
small is a good idea
Be active in pruning

31. #5
Care for the young
grafts for good
returns later

32. #6
Pedigree is every
thing, so pick your
grafts carefully

33. #7
If you can’t eat
cheese, then get
some bread
Velvet Apples

34. #8
Work hard in June
and its easier the
rest of the year

35. #9
Just because it
grows, doesn’t mean
it will fruit

36. #10
Don’t just live off
the ancestors, plant
your own 

37. A few more
things…

38. What’s NOT Organic
• Spraying of mango trees by your contractors (for
eliminating parasites or preventing fruit fall)
• Use of steroids or plant hormones like Cultar for early or
annual flowering
• Use of urea as a fertilliser for fruit trees
• Super phosphate or organo-phosphates is not organic
(unlike rock phosphate)
• Any other chemical pesticides

39. Common Organic Inputs
• Pest management
o Neem oil based pesticides
o Raw milk for viral in Papaya
o Pheromone traps for Fruit
Flies
o Bordeaux mixture for
fungal diseases
• Manuring of trees
o Compost or Cow Dung
o Bonemeal or Sterameal
o Rock Phosphate and
Muriate of Potash
o Lime
o Neem cake or Powder
o Panchagavya

40. Regional Fruit Research Centre,
Vengurla
• The premiere resource for
fruit plant related research
in the Konkan Region
• Has innumerable varieties
of plants on-site and
demonstration for
intercropping
• Best source for grafts
from April to June (late)
• Just about 1½ hours away
by road

41. Local Sources for Fruit Grafts
• At most nurseries in Goa
o Vikas Nursery, Guirim
o East-West Nursery, Nuvem
• Department of Agriculture
o At Ela Farms Old Goa, or your local extension office
o Also Duler Farms, Mapusa