India wants to join the strawberry superpowers

What the report says

BBC World News reports that India’s strawberry industry is concentrated in Mahabaleshwar, a mountainous area in Maharashtra where about 85% of the country’s cultivation takes place. The region’s altitude, cool November-to-March season and well-drained soil support production, but growers face high risks from untimely rain and recurring costs because strawberry plants must be replaced each season rather than grown from seed.

The BBC says Indian farmers currently depend on patented varieties developed in the US and Europe, with mother plants imported from places including California, Florida, Italy and Spain. Licensed propagators such as Tara Farms Fresh multiply those imported plants in controlled nurseries before selling daughter plants to farmers. Researchers at Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, working with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, are trying to develop an Indian strawberry cultivar using low-dose gamma irradiation to induce useful mutations. A university horticulture professor told the BBC the aim is a climate-resilient variety that can tolerate Indian heat while matching the size and firmness of foreign fruit, though results may take 10 to 15 years.

The report also highlights growers adopting technology to reduce weather and productivity risks. Berry Fresh Agrotech is experimenting with hydroponic, covered cultivation, lab testing of plant nutrients and year-round production, while a farmer network in Mahabaleshwar is using AI-linked weather towers and exploring vertical growing systems.

For smaller farmers, the BBC notes that such investment can be difficult or risky. Farmer Sheetal Danavle returned to traditional cultivation after a cyclone destroyed a hydroponic setup, but has used social media and farm visits to sell directly to customers and improve margins.