Status
International
Passion fruit is grown mostly in tropical and sub-tropical part of the world. Today, passion fruit is grown nearly everywhere in the tropical belt of South America to Australia, Asia and Africa. South America is currently the largest producer of passion fruit. This fruit is native to Brazil and Ecuador, where it is used for medicinal purposes as a sedative, as well as a food source. The total global supply of passion fruit is estimated at 8.52 lakh tons, with major producing countries comprising of Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador, Australia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Columbia. Over 95% of the production is the yellow form for juice extraction, while purple contributes predominantly for fresh fruit trade.
Passion fruit has a long and colorful history of popularity and extensive cultivation, starting in the late 19th century when it was introduced to Hawaii in 1880. It quickly became a "household word" and, at the turn of the 21st century, Hawaii is the country with the highest per-capita consumption of passion fruit juice in North America. Today, passion fruit is grown nearly everywhere in the tropical belt of South America to Australia, Asia and Africa and plantations are found in California (USA). South America is currently the largest producer of passion fruit worldwide. Native to Brazil, it is immensely popular there; demand is so high that, despite their own passion fruit cultivation, they have to import additional supplies from other countries. Ecuador, having comparative advantage for the growth of passion fruit, is one of the largest producers in the world with a dominant share in the world export market. It is followed by Australia and New Zealand in export of the fruit to other countries. Kenya and South Africa also have a decent production of passion fruit and its area under cultivation is growing rapidly.
Passion fruit is grown in most tropical and subtropical parts of the world, and it is particularly important commercially in Australia, Hawaii, South Africa and Brazil. Brazil is the world's foremost producer of passion-fruit, with about 90% of the production, followed by Peru, Venezuela, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Australia. Brazilian production is around 478,000 t with a yield of about 13.8 t/ha. The northern and north-eastern regions of the country are responsible for more than 80% of the national production. The passion-fruit is used primarily for fresh consumption and the production of juice, which is also exported. The principal market is Europe, which imports more than 90% of the juice. However, there are very good prospects in the American, Canadian and Japanese markets. The purple passion fruit was introduced into Israel from Australia early in the 20th Century and is commonly grown in home gardens all around the coastal plain, with small quantities being supplied to processing factories.
National
India, too, has its place in passion fruit history. India has enjoyed a moderate harvest of purple passion fruit in the Nilgiris, Wynad, Kodaikanal, Shevroys, Coorg and Malabar in the south and in various parts of northern India, especially Himachal and North East states like Manipur, Nagaland Mizoram and Meghalaya. In many areas, the vine has run wild. The yellow form was unknown in India until just a few decades ago when it was introduced from Sri Lanka and proved well adapted to low elevations around Chennai and Kerala. It was quickly approved as having a more pronounced flavor than the purple and producing within a year of planting heavier and more regular crops. The passion-fruit vine is cultivated predominantly in small orchards, on average 1- 4 ha, and is an important source of income for small to medium producers.
In India, passion fruit cultivation is confined to Kerala, Tamil Nadu (Nilgiri hills and Kodai Kenal), Karnataka (Coorg) and northeastern states (Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and Sikkim) with an area and production of 9.11 thousand ha and 45.82 thousand tons. The average productivity comes to 5.02 tons/ha, abysmally low to 30-35 tons/ha harvested in the countries like Brazil, Australia, Colombia etc. using off course high planting density (2.0 x 1.25 m within the row and between the rows, respectively, with a plating density of 4000 plants/ha). Poor production management shared predominantly in terms of nutrient management holds the key factor, responsible for such a colossal yield difference. Passion fruit is a highly nutrient responsive perennial crop, grows mostly as vine with a shallow root system (root density remaining confined to top 20 cm soil depth). Passion fruit vine originating from cutting starts fruiting much earlier (7-6 months) than those from seeds (10-12 months).
North East Region of India, covering an area of 2.62 lakh sq.km, accounting for about 8% of the total area of the country is a true frontier region sharing 98 % of its borders with the neighboring countries of China, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan. NER being blessed with congenial atmosphere can grow all kinds of Horticulture crops. Passion fruit is cultivated in the clean and pollution-free hills of Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya. In recent years the area and production of passion fruit has increased substantially in the region due to the technological intervention by the government under the Technology Mission for development of Horticulture in Northeast India.
Passionfruit is grown in most tropical and subtropical parts of the world, and it is particularly important commercially in Australia, Hawaii, South Africa and Brazil. Brazil is the world's foremost producer of passion-fruit, with about 90% of the production, followed by Peru, Venezuela, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Australia. Brazilian production is around 478,000 t with a yield of about 13.8 t/ha. The northern and north-eastern regions of the country are responsible for more than 80% of the national production. The passionfruit is used primarily for fresh consumption and the production of juice, which is also exported. The principal market is Europe, which imports more than 90% of the juice. However, there are very good prospects in the American, Canadian and Japanese markets. India, for many years, has enjoyed a moderate harvest of purple passion fruit in the Nilgiris in the South and in various parts of northern India. In many areas, the vine has run wild. The yellow form was unknown in India until just a few decades ago when it was introduced from Sri Lanka and proved well adapted to low elevations around Chennai and Kerala. It was quickly approved as having a more pronounced flavor than the purple and producing within a year of planting heavier and more regular crops. The passionfruit vine is cultivated predominantly in small orchards, on average 1.0 to 4.0 ha, and is an important source of income for small to medium producers.
