Lemon Cultivation: Natural Pest Control for Farmers

Lemon cultivation in India is prevalent and offers promising prospects for both profit and delightful taste. Various lemon varieties are cultivated across India, fetching different prices. However, this cultivation comes with its unique challenges and advantages. A primary challenge in lemon farming is pest control. With increasing awareness of organic and eco-friendly farming practises, farmers are increasingly seeking natural solutions. In this context, lemons themselves can act as a zesty, natural shield against pests.

Let’s explore how lemon cultivation can become a dual-purpose farming strategy: generating income while simultaneously reducing dependency on chemical pesticides. Check Lemon Mandi Rate with Shuru app.

Lemon Cultivation in India

Lemon is an important fruit crop in India, with various varieties cultivated across different states. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan are among the leading growing regions. The fruit thrives in tropical and subtropical climates that offer adequate sunlight and well-drained soil.

Lemon trees are drought-tolerant and relatively low-maintenance. Once planted, they typically grow for three to four years before they begin fruiting and can then continuously bear fruit for 25 to 30 years. This represents a significant time investment and a long-term asset for farmers.

Different varieties of Lemon cultivated in India

Local varieties of lemons

• Gondhoraj: This lemon is cultivated mainly in Northeast India. They have thick peel and less juice, but they are known for their intense fragrance and aroma. This is used as a flavouring agent in Bengali cuisine. There are 40 – 50 fruits/tree/year.

• Pat Nebu: This lemon is native to Assam and Northeast India. They are small to medium-sized lemons with high juice content. They are highly acidic and have 30 – 40 fruits per year.

• Nemu Tenga: They are cultivated in Upper Assan districts in acidic soil with good drainage. They require regular watering and are prone to pests like aphids and citrus canker. There are approximately 100 – 150 fruits/tree per year, and they have good market value due to their sweeter taste.

• Punjab Baramasi: This variety of lemon is cultivated in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. This variety bears fruit throughout the day and grows more than 500 lemons/tree per year. This is one of the highest incomes due to continuous harvesting. 

• Rough Lemon: This variety is cultivated in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.  Check ‘Mandi Rate in Andhra Pradesh.’

Commercially grown lemon varieties

• Lisbon Lemon: Grows in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. It harvests three times a year, suitable for export due to its firm skin. 
• Lucknow seedless lemon: This is cultivated in U.P. and M.P. Grow in warm and dry zones. 500 – 700 fruits per plant annually and commands higher prices per kg in markets. 
• Eureka Lemon: Grows in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. 1000 – 12000 fruits per tree/year. Ideal for juice production. 
• Mausambi (Sweet lime): They are produced in Maharashtra, M.P., and Punjab. This has high demand in juice shops, hotels, and exports. 

Lemon as a natural pest deterrent

Citrus plants such as lemons, oranges, grapefruit, and limes produce strong aromatic oils in their leaves, peel, and fruit. These oils contain limonene, citral, and linalool – natural compounds that act as repellents or even insecticides against a wide range of pests. With the organic farming practises, you can sell lemons in organic vegetables mandi in high price. Learn how to sell and grow organic vegetables in local mandis.

They can grow among gardens or farms to avoid pests and insects around crops or fruit gardens. There are several benefits of growing these citrus plants along with other crops:

1. Repelling common insects like aphids, ants, whiteflies, mosquitoes, and flies. By growing them within boundaries through intercropping, it acts as a deterrent against pests.

2. Lemons are good to go with other crops. They are called companion planting, which helps reduce pest infestations. 

3. Lemon leaf extracts are used to make organic pest sprays. Farmers boil lemon leaves, neem, garlic, and chillies to prepare homemade insect repellents.
4. Lemon trees have antifungal properties which protect the soil from certain pathogens. 
5. In many parts of India, farmers grow lemon trees along with main crops as border crops. This provides them additional income and natural protection against insects and pests. Some farmers in Maharashtra have been found to have reportedly reduced pest attack by 30 to 40 per cent on their vegetable crops. This is due to growing lemon trees as a border crop.

Lemons are consumed in households and used in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. They have high market demand throughout the year. They have good returns and with good farming practises, you can earn 3 to 5 lakhs per acre in season, depending on varieties and market rate. Also, with minimal maintenance, these trees help you manage organic practises with high profit. If you want these rates in mandis, then you can learn how to get premium price at mandi for higher profit.