This engineer grows mangosteen with coconut, sells exotic fruit at Rs 350 per kg

After completing his studies at the KVG College of Engineering in Dakshina Kannada, Biju Narayanan worked in the corporate sector for ten years. The mechanical engineer worked in a company even though he enjoyed farming more than his job.

“After a decade, I lost interest due to the monotonous nature of the job and decided to take up farming, my family occupation, full-time,” he tells 30Stades.

Biju opted for high-density farming and multi-level cropping to maximize the use of his family land, where rubber was the main crop earlier. In high-density farming, more saplings are planted in an area compared to conventional planting. It improves yields, productivity and farmer income.  

“I decided to foray into exotic fruit farming like rambutan, mangosteen, logan and other varieties as they are highly profitable. Most of them require less maintenance, like mangosteen," Biju says.

The exotic fruit market in India is experiencing high growth, with a projected market size of 33.7 billion dollars by 2033, growing at a 6.7 percent CAGR from 2024, according to Stellar Market Research. This growth is driven by increasing consumer awareness of health and nutrition, along with the rising popularity of exotic fruits. 

Biju procured 120 mangosteen saplings from a nursery in Kerala. "After some years, I expanded and now I have around 180 mangosteen trees over three acres,” he says.

He also grows other exotic fruits like rambutan durian, Barbados gooseberry and longan, apart from pepper, coconut, areca nut, cashew, and others. With other farmers, he cultivates over 95 acres of land in three districts of Kerala, including Kannur and Ernakulam.

Also Read: Engineer quits US job to cultivate exotic fruits in TN, earns four times more per acre than traditional fruits

His extraordinary success led him to venture into farming consultancy. Biju’s Ulikkal Agrofarms in Kannur provides consultation, saplings through a nursery, and agrotourism.

Mangosteen farming with coconut

“A mangosteen tree starts yielding fruit after seven to eight years. After ten years, we get around eight to ten kg of mangosteen per plant and my trees, which are 12 years old, yield an average of 17 kg of fruit annually. This will go up to 30 kg per tree in the next five to six years,” he says. 

Biju also planted coconut trees between mangosteen trees to maximize revenues per acre. “I believe in high-density farming. One acre has about 65 mangosteen trees and 70 coconut trees,” he says.

Intercropping of coconut is the best for mangosteen. “Young mangosteen trees need shade for optimal growth. Coconut gives shade to mangosteen trees, which need 40 to 50 percent shade for good growth,” he says.

More importantly, intercropping maximizes land use and diversifies income for farmers, as both crops can be harvested. “Farmers can double or triple their incomes by practising multi-level cropping and intercropping,” he says.

Also Read: How this Goa family earns Rs 42 lakh per acre from coconut farming 

There is no need to apply chemicals to mangosteen. “The mangosteen tree is naturally resistant to most pests and diseases. The trees have a lifespan of over 100 years and can withstand massive storms and floods. The tree is hardy and has strong roots,” he says.

The tree's height is between 20 and 80 feet (6 to 25 metres), and a person has to climb up to harvest. Mangosteen is best planted through seedlings and not through grafting.

“A tree prepared from grafting will not grow beyond the 15th year, but the one from seed will last over 100 years,” Biju explains.  

Also Read: Father-son trio reaps bumper mangosteen harvest; older trees yield 300 kg per season

Maximising revenues per acre       

Mangosteen sells at Rs 500 per kg at the beginning of the harvest season in April, and prices drop to around Rs 250 per kg by July, averaging at around Rs 350 per kg. With 290 trees, Biju earned around Rs 12 lakh from mangosteen farming.

The coconut trees yield around 100 pieces annually, sold at Rs25 per coconut. So each tree fetches around Rs2500. “The 210 coconut trees bring around Rs 5.25 lakh in revenues,” he says.

“I sell all the production from my farm and don’t visit any market,” Biju says.

“Our farming inputs comprise about 90 percent organic manure, cow dung and cow urine, vermicompost, etc. The rest are other inputs like potash, which ensures good plant growth,” he says.

Over some acres, Biju also practices multi-level cropping with plants of different heights. “I grow four to five crops in the same area. So the outermost plantation will be 45 feet high of coconut and then 25 feet of mangosteen followed by plants of pepper (15 feet) and bananas (10 feet). Below them, I grow tapioca and ginger. They get enough sunlight as the crops are of different heights. The only requirement is adequate manure, fertilisers, irrigation and pruning,” says Biju.

(US Anu is a Madurai-based writer. She specialises in stories around human interest, environment and art and culture.)

Also Read: Karnataka's millionaire farmer harvests 100 kg rambutan and mangosteen per tree; sells at Rs 350 per kg

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