PRODUCTIONTECHNOLOGY

ofEXOTIC VEGETABLES

Dr. R. M. KharcheM.Sc.(Agri.), Ph.D.,

M.A.L.L.B.,H.D.C;G.D.C.A;D.C.B.M.

&

Dr. A. S. NaphadeM.Sc.(Agri.), Ph.D.

CONTINENTAL PRAKASHANVijayanagar, Pune - 411 030

PRODUCTIONTECHNOLOGY

ofEXOTIC

VEGETABLES

PREFACEIndia has already achieved self sufficiency in the production

of food-grains but there is a need to provide nutritional protectionto our growing population. The different types of vegetables playan important role not only in making diet balanced and nutritive butalso help to improve the economic conditions of farmers. Pres-ently, our country is the second largest producer of vegetables inthe world. But, it is a necessary to further increase production ofvegetables to meet our domestic needs as well as to increaseexports. The per unit yield of vegetables in India is very low ascompared to the other countries of the world. Hence, besidesdeveloping high yielding varieties and hybrid seeds of differenttypes of vegetables, there is a strong need of extension efforts tobring production technologies to the notice of our farmers, so that,higher yield per unit area can be obtained.

In view of productivity, diversification, nutrition, value additionand export, vegetables are important component of Agriculture. InIndia vegetable production per annum is 985.0 lakh metric tonnes.Out of which Maharashtra produces 44.80 lakh metric tonnes.But the production of exotic vegetables is very meagre inMaharashtra State.

Maharashtra State like many other states in our country isendowed with a wide range of agro-climatic conditions and growvery large number of tropical and sub-tropical vegetables. Many ofthese vegetables are unknown or rare to most of the vegetablegrowers and consumers. The rare vegetables are Asparagus, Broc-coli, Brussels sprouts, Squash(Zuccini), Celery, Cherry Tomato,Chinese Cabbage, Leek, Lettuce, Parsley and Sweet Corn. Farm-ers can earn good profit by growing these vegetables in succes-sion near big cosmopolitan cities and towns.

Now a days, demand is increasing of these kind of vegeta-

Publishers :Rutuparna KulkarniContinental PrakashanVijayanagar,Pune - 411 030 IndiaPhone : 01 - 91 - 20 - 433 7982E-mail : Conti-prakashan@vsnl.net

Printers :Prakash Mudranalaya1411 Sadashiv PethPune - 411 030

Publication No. 1301First Edition : 2004Isbn No. : 81-7421-092-xAll Rights Reserved

Rs. 85 /- (US $ 4 00 )

bles in star hotels, tourist hotels and chain stores. Most of the farm-ers from Pune, Satara and Sangli districts are producing theseexotic vegetables on a small land and they fetch good price ininternal markets.

Growers can also export to foreign countries specially to Eu-ropean Countries where the cultivation of vegetables is not possi-ble throughout the year in open fields. Similarly, these vegetablescan be exported to Singapore and Middle Eastern countries.

The purpose of preparing this booklet is to furnish scientificand technical information about the production practices for theuse of vegetable growes, extension workers and of farmers in-volved in growing these exotic vegetables. The need for collectingand reviewing the available literatures pertaining to exotic vegeta-bles production has long been felt and the present publication isan attempt in that direction. We have drawn freely upon materialfrom many sources, books, bulletins, scientific papers, magazinesetc.

The publication aims to provide all the desired information ofthe latest agro-techniques of production of exotic vegetables tothe growers of Maharashtra State.

Looking forward to future revision, suggestions and criti-cisms on the contents of this publication and its adaptation to ac-tual application are invited from all the quarters.

We wish to express our appreciation to all colleagues andfriends who have assisted me in preparation of this publica-tion. We are grateful to Continental Pubushing house for produc-ing this book in it's beautiful and attractive from in a very shortperiod.

Pune R. M. Kharche.1-1-2004. A. S. Naphade.