Pune: The increasing demand for jamun (Indian blackberry) due to its Ayurvedic medicinal properties has significantly raised its market value, with high-quality jamun selling for ₹250 to ₹600 per kilogram.

This surge in demand has prompted farmers in Ambegaon taluka to shift towards jamun cultivation. One such successful example is Uttam Devaram Sukre from Khadakwadi, who planted 100 jamun trees on one acre of land and achieved remarkable results. The Bahadoli variety of jamun has fetched excellent prices in the market.

Jamun is renowned for its medicinal properties and effectiveness against various ailments, particularly diabetes. This has led to a growing demand not only in India but also internationally. Farmers are increasingly inclined towards jamun farming due to these benefits.

Uttam Sukre, five years ago, planted 100 Bahadoli jamun saplings at a spacing of 20 feet on his one-acre plot located at the foothills in Vadadrawasti. Each sapling cost him ₹500. Initially, he grew intercropped bajra, jowar, and vegetables until the trees matured.

This year marked the beginning of his jamun production, yielding 25 to 30 kilograms of fruit per tree. Currently, the jamun is being sold in local markets at ₹150 to ₹200 per kilogram.

Sukre expects better yields next year, with each tree producing up to 100 kilograms of jamun. He has also planted 150 new saplings of a newly developed white variety of jamun on 25 gunthas of land, which are expected to bear fruit next year.

"Proper care and timely fertilization of jamun trees can result in yields of 100 to 200 kilograms per tree after five to six years. Depending on the size and quality of the fruit, the market price ranges from ₹250 to ₹600 per kilogram.

Even at the lowest market price, each tree can generate an income of ₹15,000 to ₹20,000, making jamun farming highly profitable," explained Sampat Kothimbre, a jamun farmer from Shrigonda.

The rising market demand and substantial returns have made jamun cultivation an attractive and profitable venture for farmers in the region. "Uttam Devaram Sukre has successfully planted 100 jamun trees on one acre and has proven the viability of jamun farming," said a local agricultural expert.