Coca-Cola, Jain Irrigation team up to boost mango production in India
15 Sep 2011
Coca-Cola India and Jain Irrigation Systems have announced a partnership with farmers to demonstrate and enable adoption of ultra-high density mango cultivation.
The project will encourage sustainable modern agricultural practices that would lead mango orchards attaining their full potential in 3-4 years and also allow up to 800 trees to be planted in an acre, instead of the conventional method of planting 40 trees in an acre, Jain Irrigation said in a statement.
During the first phase of the project, the two companies plan to develop 200 demonstration farms of between one- and three-acre size using the ultra-high density plantation technique, utilising the benefits of drip irrigation.
The new method of cultivation is expected to improve farmers' income many fold while at the same time decreasing the quantity of water used per kg of mango.
The first phase of the project will involve investment of over $2 million and the two companies plan to share that amount.
The demo farms will be used to showcase technology and train farmers on adoption of ultra-high density plantation practice under the aegis of Coca-Cola and Jain Irrigation University, the release said.