Kashmir to Kulali

Farmer Srishail Teli took on the challenge of cultivating apples in the searing heat of North Karnataka, and reaped a bumper harvest

- FIROZ ROZINDAR @Vijayapura

An orchard of red, juicy apples in the scorching heat of North Karnataka? Surprisingly, yes. The fruit, which grows in the cool climes of Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir, is being cultivated on a sprawling farm in Kulali village of Mudhol taluk in Bagalkot district.

Farmer Srishail Teli has rewritten the rules of horticulture with his persistent efforts to grow apples in temperatures soaring above 38 degrees. He succeeded, and got a bountiful harvest on seven acres of land. The region is traditionally believed to be unfit for such crops, but Teli is earning a good income, besides an enviable reputation in the farming community and beyond.

Unsuitable soil Bagalkot, where nearly 80 per cent of the farmland is devoted to sugarcane, has long been seen as unsuitable for crops beyond staples like corn, wheat, cow sorghum, pomegranate and chickpea. However, Teli has broken this long-standing belief by cultivating apples on the same soil. His efforts have not only yielded high-quality fruit but have also inspired curiosity and admiration among fellow farmers.