How ROCL is cultivating Olive in Rajasthan

BUSINESS TODAY photographer Shekhar Ghosh travels to Rajasthan Olive Cultivation's (ROCL) plantation in Bakalia, Nagaur district, northern Rajasthan, to see how the fruit is being cultivated there.

Until recently, India had little to do with olive cultivation. All the olive used in India was imported. But in 2007, things changed. The desert state of Rajasthan now has seven large farms cultivating the mediterranean fruit.

ROCL's farm in Bakalia has about 13,000 trees, spread over 30 hectares, neatly planted in rows on near rocky soil.

The farm employs many women from the neighbouring villages. Among the initial stages of cultivation is pruning of trees to a cup shape, to allow sunlight to reach all the branches of the plant.

The olive tree does not need much water but when irrigated, the water does need a specified salt content.

ROCL's farm has mechanised irrigation, controlled by a system from this building. Even fertilisation can be automatically controlled.

The plants also require different nutrients at different stages. ROCL's farm has an autometrological station at one end that gives out climatic data to be analysed.

ROCL's Manager for Site Development Yogesh Verma shows off the company's website. Besides launching its own brand, ROCL may allow private companies to bottle and market its produce.

ROCL's Bakalia farm manager Kailash Kalwania checks out the growth of an olive tree. This year, ROCL is expecting about 100 to 150 tonne of fruit - enough to begin commercialisation on a small scale.