Strawberry production technology for high altitudes of Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

Abstract

Farm income in the high mountain border state of Arunachal Pradesh is below the national average due to fragmented landholdings, lack of quality planting material, and reliance on traditional cropping systems. Furthermore, this fragile ecosystem experiences significant yield losses and economic distress due to harsh climatic conditions and the menace of wild animals. Therefore, to enhance
farm income per unit area, interventions such as protected cultivation and the introduction of high-value crops offer a viable solution. Notably, about one-third of the geographical area of the Tawang district has a temperate climate suitable for strawberry cultivation. However, the use of protected structures covered with 6 mm polycarbonate sheets or 200 μ polythene is essential to safeguard the
crop from high-altitude weather extremes. Protected cultivation of strawberry in the Tawang is economically viable, with a return of ₹1.74 and ₹3.26 per rupee invested during the first and second years, respectively, under polythene mulch. Similarly, the use of organic mulch, such as abundantly available red oak leaves, yields a benefit–cost (B:C) ratio of 1.31 and 2.16 during the first and second years, respectively, under high-altitude conditions.