Tamarind monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future

The profitability of seedling orchards vs clonal orchards established on
farmers' land was looked at by the Genetics and Plant Breeding Department
of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India (Kulkarni et al.,
1993). As shown in Table 10.2, the clonal establishment was highly
profitable because of high net returns and low establishment costs compared
with seedling orchards.
Table 10.2 Profitability of seed vs clonal orchards/ ha
Nature of
Total cost Total returns Net return
orchard
(Rs)
(Rs)
(Rs)
Seedling orchard 5600 44 200 38 600
Clonal orchard 5000 51 950 46 000
Source: Kulkarni et al. (1993)
The orchards established using clones are of uniform size, the fruits are of
high quality and the trees yield well. These trees also come into bearing
earlier than seedling orchards, but their life span may be shorter. Hence, use
of selected cultivars to establish small or medium scale orchards is
economically viable.
Based on information from the Periyakulam Research Station, each tamarind
tree will give an average yield of 100 kg of fresh tamarind pulp per year at
maturity. From the fourth year, yields increase until the tenth year when it
stabilises. Financial and energy inputs are highest in the first year (Rao and
Singh, 1996).
In Cumbum, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, individual farmers are reported
to plant large areas of local tamarind trees with yields up to 70 kg tamarind
pulp per tree in the fourth year. This indicates that tamarind can be grown
commercially even by small-scale farmers. It is also necessary to encourage
farmers to grow selected cultivars, as high yields and more economic
benefits could be assured. If plantations are to be established on marginal
lands unsuitable for production of other crops, reduced yields have to be
factored into cost-benefit analyses.
10.3 Production figures
Tamarind production is expanding and although the production should be
substantial statistical records are not given for tamarind. Instead, it is
included with 'other' species of exotic fruits or spices and as its production is
not monitored by any agency, no data on area, production and yield of
tamarind is available. Even the trade is so unorganised that traders are also
not able to provide any information.
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