Banana Plantation| Ideal conditions for Banana Cultivation | Jain Farm Fresh Foods Ltd,.

Banana is yellow, curvy fruit which is not only delicious to eat but is loaded with vital nutrients. It’s a fruit that loves to smile at you whether you eat it or not. Archaeological evidence suggests that banana cultivation is as old as 5000 BCE (before common era).

India produces around 14 million metric tonnes of banana annually and ranks first in banana production in the world. Main areas of banana cultivation in India are – Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Assam.

Varities of Banana:

In India, banana is grown under varied conditions and production systems. Roughly, there are 20 varieties of banana that is available – Grandnaine being the most popular because of its tolerance to biotic stresses and good quality bunches. Its fruit has an attractive yellow colour with better quality and shelf life.

Ideal Conditions for Banana Cultivation

Banana is a tropical fruit that can grow very well in alluvial and volcanic soil. Since India has a tropical climate most of the year, banana cultivation can be done almost all year round.

Agro-climatic conditions for Banana Plantation

Banana grows at an altitude of approximately 2000 meters from sea level in climate ranging from humid to dry. 18⁰C- 35⁰C with a relative humidity of 75-80 per cent is the most favourable temperature range for a banana plantation. The growth and yield are reduced below 18⁰C and above 35⁰C. Average rainfall of 1700 mm distributed throughout the year favours good growth and satisfactory yield of this crop. At higher altitudes, only a few varieties such as ‘Hill Banana’ is preferred for cultivation.

Soil and Season for Banana Cultivation

The most suitable soil for banana cultivation is one that is neither too acidic nor alkaline. It should have high nitrogen content, adequate phosphorous level and should be rich in organic material with plenty of potash. Tissue culture banana varieties can be planted any time of the year, provided the temperature conditions are moderate. This method offers a rapid multiplication of uniform quality, pest and disease-free production of banana in large quantities.

The Yield of Banana:

The planted crop usually gets ready for harvest within 11-12 months of planting. First ratoon crop gets ready by 8-10 months from harvesting the main crop and second ratoon crop takes around 8-9 months after the second crop. So, over 28-30 months, it is possible to harvest three crops of banana. To sum it all, banana, after mango, is the second most important fruit crop in India. Its year-round availability, affordability, nutritive and therapeutic value makes it one of the favourite fruit among all classes of people.

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Author: Riddhima

The Benefits Of Consuming Fruits And Vegetables | Jain Farm Fresh Foods Ltd.

Fruits and vegetables are an extremely crucial part of our everyday diet. They are the primary source of all the essential vitamins and minerals we need to maintain our health and function.

Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables protects against some serious illnesses.


Some of the diseases that fruits and vegetables prevent are:

Cardiovascular Disease

A study has revealed that regular intake of fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases by almost 4%. This study was conducted on approximately 5 lakh people.

Blood Pressure

A trial procedure known as the Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial for Heart Health (OmniHeart) revealed that a fruit and vegetable-rich diet lowered blood pressure, even if the diet contained unhealthy fats.

Cancer

Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables led to the prevention of certain kinds of cancer. A study spanning 22 years revealed that women who consumed more fruits and vegetables during adolescence had a 25% lower chance of developing breast cancer.

Diabetes

Consuming fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of type-2 diabetes. A study carried out with 2,300 Finnish men proved that vegetables and fruits, especially berries, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.


Fruits and vegetables have a tendency of becoming inedible in a short span of time. They have to be consumed almost immediately to prevent them from going bad. As a result of this short span of time, the internal nutrients and minerals are also lost.

A way to tackle that problem is fruit and vegetable processing.

The process of processing increases the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. It also keeps the nutrients and minerals locked in for a long time. Hence, you can consume processed food and vegetables for a more extended period of time.

An entity that has made giant strides in the business of food processing is Jain Farm Fresh Food Limited. Their products are very popular due to their longevity and quality.



The various kinds of processes that are included in the food processing process include:

• grading
• washing, 
• cooling 
• peeling
• blanching 
• size reduction 
• freezing 
• dehydration 
• Canning

These processes prolong the shelf life of fruits and vegetables so that you and your family can benefit from their consumption for a longer time.

Author: Sshekhar Jha

Indian Food Industry: Poised to Take Off to Bigger Heights | Jain Farm Fresh Foods Ltd.

In the last few decades, the Indian food industry has revamped the way we eat, spend money, and even think about food.

It has been a journey towards, convenience, variety, varied tastes, all with a sharp focus on health and nutrition.

The country's food industry has been increasing its contribution to world food trade every year. It has remerged as a high-growth, huge-profits sector due to its potential for adding value in our lives, especially in the food processing segment. 

Some Statistics

The food and grocery segment of the Indian food industry ranks as the 6th largest market in the world and accounts for 70% of the total sales.

Coming to the contribution of the food industry within the country, the food processing industry boasts of a whopping 32% share in the country’s food market. It ranks as the 5th largest industry in India vis-à-vis production, consumption and exports.

According to Invest India, it is projected that by 2024, the food processing industry will possibly attract $33 billion in investments and generate employment for over 9 million people! That’s huge, to say the least.

Also, by 2030, the Indian annual household income is going to triple, making the country the 5th largest consumer in the world.

Rapid urbanisation, increase in the women workforce, need for the productive use of surplus food, increase in disposable income and a need to generate employment are some reasons that have resulted in the rapid rise of the food processing industry in India.

The Indian food industry plays a vital role in bringing together the two pillars of the Indian economy – agriculture and industry. It has started a revolution in the farming sector, leading to an improved economic condition of the farmers. Generating employment, contributing to capital formation, developing rural areas are some of the significant contributions of the sector in boosting the Indian economy.

Jain Farm Fresh Foods Limited (JFFFL) is one such food processing company in India. It brings only 100% natural products to the market in line with its commitment to creating a sustainable future for all.

With ‘Farmer First’ as one of its key focus areas, JFFFL works closely with over 10,000 contract farmers in a bid to alleviate their economic condition.

The Indian food industry is making waves and adding value to our lives. Onwards and upwards from here.

Author: Rohina Chawla

Project Unnati: Ensuring Progressive Growth of Farmers Everywhere | Jain Farm Fresh Foods Ltd.

Project Unnati, an initiative launched by Jain Farm Fresh Limited (JFFFL), aims to match
the growing demand for mangoes by increasing the per-acre yield through the
Ultra-High Density Plantation (UDHP) technique. This technique has been adopted by
them to ensure long-term sustainable growth.

The project aims to improve standards of agriculture and farmers welfare, encourage modern
farming practices. These practices can potentially double the yield of mangoes and increase
the income of farmers.

UHDP enables mango orchards to achieve their full potential in 3-4 years and allows almost
700 trees to be planted per acre. The conventional method of plantation allows only 60.
An additional benefit is that it reduces the use of water per kilogram of mangoes produced.

How Would This Initiative Work?

Project Unnati will use special buses, which have in-built classrooms to provide training of
UHDP techniques at the farmer's doorstep. With an investment of 50 crore rupees, this
programme is currently active in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

What Does It Require

This process requires a commercial variety of mango grafts to closely planted to each other.
Specialised techniques of pruning, fertigation, irrigation and growth promotion enables proper
growth of mango orchards. 

The objectives of this initiative are:

• To help farmers earn more money for their produce
• Bring in augmented commercial viability, and make traditional farming risk free,
• Introducing innovative methods of cultivation, which can lead to a higher level of productivity.
• Lower operating costs & increase utilisation of inputs including water and nutrients
• Promote good agricultural practices by improving overall sustainability. It could enhance productivity by 2-3 times
• Incubate a method to buy back fruits
• Train farmers about new hi-tech agricultural practices

The significant components of project Unnati are:

• UHDP
• Audio and video mediums in the training buses
• Soil and water testing for farmers
• Planting material of good quality
• Agronomical guidance by a team of experts
• Provide training to replenish old orchards; top working and improved practices

Over the last 5 years, 2200 farmers have trained under project Unnati.
The goal of this initiative is to take agrarian productivity to all-new heights.
JFFFL’s effort to improve the social and economic welfare of farmers is a small
but significant step in that direction.

Author : Sshekhar Jha

Dehydrated Onions: Kitchen Essentials in a New Avatar

Ever used dehydrated onions to simplify and quicken the cooking process? Here’s how they add value to our lives.

The fast-paced life and the increasing number of women joining the workforce have thrown up a need to look for convenience in all aspects of day to day life.

Cooking is one such area where people are looking for healthy shortcuts to everything.

Dehydrated onions are the perfect answer to one’s desire to have delicious home-cooked meals, yet save on time and energy.

What are dehydrated onions and why are they in?

Dehydration is one of the oldest methods of preserving food and goes back centuries.

Dehydrated products address the demand for convenience among today’s consumers, dehydrated onions being a prime example.

Onions are a staple in most Indian kitchens as they add immense value to the dish.

However, peeling and chopping them is a big hassle, and the busy consumer is looking for convenient, yet healthy alternatives.  Dehydrated onions are the perfect solution to meet this rising demand.

They are produced by removing water from fresh onions in a state-of-the-art facility by following a stringent process. Removing water from the onions tops the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms which are responsible for the food getting spoilt.

So, how do dehydrated onions add value to our lives?

• Taste just like fresh onions, so no compromise on taste.
• Highly convenient, as they do away with the hassle of peeling, chopping and cutting.
• No more tears and smelly hands is another big advantage of dehydrated onions.
• The unique processing method gives them a longer shelf life and good-to-consume for a longer time. So, just open a pack and use. No need to rush to the market.
• They retain the nutritive value of fresh onions, so no compromise on health.
• Easy to store is another significant advantage. One bag of 200gms pack of Jain Farm Fresh Foods Limited’s (JFFFL) dehydrated onion flakes is equal to 1.2 kg of fresh onions.
• The JFFFL dehydrated onions come in two variants – red and white. These are available as onion flakes, both large and small.

Therefore, dehydrated onions are a boon for the fast-evolving needs of the people. They are the perfect solution to smart and quick cooking. Do give them a try and simplify your life.

Author:  Rohina Chawla

Sweet Orange cultivation | Cutting-edge Technology | Increased Productivity | Jain Farm Fresh Foods Ltd

India produces around 29 lakh tonnes of orange every year and ranks third in orange production (Source: GKToday) after banana and mango. Orange cultivation is primarily done in the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra in the country.

The growing demand for orange has led to a need for improving the per-acre yield on a long-term and sustainable way.

The need is for orange orchards to become more productive while enhancing the quality of the fruit.

Orange plantation needs to become more technology and growth-driven to enable this. Cutting-edge farming techniques like Ultra-High Density Plantation (UHDP) are making a mark by proving to be an excellent option in increasing the productivity of the harvest, enhancing the quality of the crop and most important, also helping in improving the economic condition of the farmers.

However, these are specialised techniques and not available readily to the farmers. Therefore, it becomes crucial for companies in the agro-industry to come forward and help the farmers gain access to these technologies and improve their livelihood.

Jain Farm Fresh Foods Limited (JFFFL) is one such company that is committed to improving the socio-economic condition of the farmer. Additionally, the company’s core philosophy of ‘quality being a way of life,’ ensures it brings only 100% natural products to its customers.

To ensure high-quality orange cultivation JFFFL has partnered with Coca Cola India. The initiative called UNNATI encourages sustainable modern agricultural practices and help increase the orange yield substantially. The increased yield also means an improved income for the farmer as the company promises to buy-back the produce at predetermined prices. It gives the farmer the promise of an assured income.

Through Project UNNATI, the company helps its contract farmers adopt UHDP and gives them disease-free planting material and trains them in good agricultural practices (Jain GAP).
JFFFL plans to train around 2, 00,000 farmers through Jain GAP and cultivate 10,000 acres of land for new sweet orange plantation over the next ten years.

Sweet orange cultivation is on an onwards and upwards path, and if the agro-sector keeps getting the help in terms of technology and know-how, it will surely attain newer heights.

Author - Rohina Chawla

Agro-Processing Industry – Opportunities for growth

There are tremendous new opportunities for growth in the agro-processing industry. Various factors are expected to drive this growth in demand, and the agro-processing companies need to be prepared to rise to the occasion and take advantage of the opportunities.

More and more individuals and households are using agro-products i. e. packaged food that is processed and sold through the retail sector. Several socio-economic and demographic changes are bound to boost consumption in the coming years.

Boost to Agro-processing industry due to the population Growth

As we all know, the population of the country is growing by leaps and bounds. Though this has its own challenges, it throws up many opportunities as well, especially for the economy. As the population grows, the demand also grows in all sectors, especially in non-luxury ones.

Increasing consumption of the agro-products due to urbanisation

With increasing urbanisation comes the paucity of time for the individuals. More and more employment opportunities in the cities for the female workforce means more working women. This means the working couples have less time for household chores.

 Agro products help them save a lot of time on cooking and hence the demand goes up.

Ready-to-eat products save maximum time. Heat-and-eat products too demand hardly any time.

Intermediary products reduce the cooking time considerably. Agro products can be shopped for in bulk, unlike fresh vegetables and fruits, so that saves time on shopping too.

Increased ownership of household electrical appliances

Agro products need to be stored in refrigerators and need heating, and hence, microwave ovens are required. With rising incomes in both rural and urban household, the possession of these appliances is becoming more common.

This means more and more people can buy, store and use agro products, boosting the demand. Refrigerator ensures that there is no wastage and you not only take out and cook the required amount of food but can also put the leftover food back in the fridge and later reheat and eat it.

All these factors mean that the agro-processing industry is about to witness a surge in demand. Agro companies need to be prepared to fulfil this demand and benefit from the growth in the sector.