Prayagraj: Even as the cultivation area under the famed Allahabadi Surkha and Safeda guava varieties continues to shrink in Prayagraj and neighbouring Kaushambi, the premium varieties are steadily gaining popularity across several districts of Uttar Pradesh and beyond.The trend has evoked mixed reactions among growers and horticulture experts. While the decline of orchards in the two districts remains a concern, rising demand for saplings from other parts of the country underscores the growing appeal of the renowned Prayagraj guavas.Bhagwatpur in Prayagraj, along with the Chail and Mooratganj areas of Kaushambi, has traditionally been the heartland of Allahabadi guava cultivation, with orchards spread over nearly 4,500 hectares. However, rapid urbanisation, changing climatic conditions and disease outbreaks have adversely affected production in recent years.According to horticulture experts, orchards that once housed 300 to 400 trees now accommodate only 200 to 250. Poor maintenance practices have further contributed to declining productivity.Despite the reduction in cultivation within Prayagraj and Kaushambi, the varieties have found new markets in districts such as Pratapgarh, Fatehpur, Sitapur, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, Banda and Chitrakoot. Demand has also increased from states including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.Every year, the Horticultural Experiment and Training Centre at Khusro Bagh in Prayagraj prepares around 20,000 saplings of Allahabadi Surkha and Safeda. Of these, only about 8,000 are purchased by growers in Prayagraj and Kaushambi, while the remaining saplings are supplied to other districts and states.Officials said Allahabadi Surkha enjoys particularly strong demand in Pratapgarh and Fatehpur, while growers in Sitapur, Bahraich and Lakhimpur Kheri prefer the Safeda variety. Farmers in Banda and Chitrakoot are increasingly cultivating both varieties.Centre in charge Vijay Kishore Singh said, “Nearly 5,000 saplings are sent annually to Madhya Pradesh and Raipur in Chhattisgarh alone. The Surkha variety, which develops its distinctive reddish hue mainly in Prayagraj and Kaushambi, has gradually adapted to the climatic conditions of Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, where growers are also reporting encouraging results.”
