Production Restraints and Management in Mandarin and Avocado Fruit Crops

The average productivity of citrus in India is 7.29 tonnes per ha which is far below the average productivity of 30-35 tonnes per hectare obtained internationally. In India, mandarin oranges (Citrus reticulata Blanco) are grown largely under tropical climatic conditions. For example, the famous Nagpur orange is grown in tropical vidarbha region of Maharastra in central India over 73 thousand hectares and Andhra Pradesh in South India. Over 56 thousand hectares enjoy a distinct tropical climate where there is no defined winter season with low temperature regime. The kinnow mandarins, however, is showing good promise and is commercially successful in North India states like Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan falling under subtropical climate with distinct winter season. Similarly, the traditional mandarin growing areas of North eastern hills and the Coorg area of Karnataka state experience subtropical climate with high rainfall and low temperature during winter months. Mandarin oranges (Citrus reticulata Blanco) are fruit crops of worldwide importance and suited for subtropical climatic conditions. World production of mandarin in 1996 was about 15.6 million metric tons, which was about 15% of the world citrus total. The major producing countries (million t) were China (5.9), Japan (1.19, mostly Satsuma types), Spain (1.4), Brazil (0.76), Italy (0.45), Morocco (0.4) and the USA (0.5). However, by far the major exporters of fresh and processed mandarins were Japan, Spain and the USA. In India, the most important commercial citrus is the mandarin orange (Santras of Coorg, Assam, and Nagpur). Citrus fruits (mandarins, oranges, limes and lemons etc.) occupy 13% of the total area in fruits and contribute to 10.3% of the total fruit production.