Fig anjeer climate suitability dry semi arid Maharashtra Pune Poona fig soil temperature rainfall India
3 Answers
Fig suits a dry to semi arid climate with hot dry summers and mild winters, and actually prefers areas without heavy rain during fruit ripening, which is why the Pune and Purandar belt in Maharashtra is famous for it; it also grows in parts of Gujarat, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and other dry regions. It needs well drained soil and is fairly drought hardy once established, but heavy rain and humidity at ripening cause fruit splitting, rot and poor quality, so very wet humid zones are not ideal. It tolerates a range of soils including lighter and slightly alkaline ones if drainage is good, but not waterlogging. The Poona fig and similar types are well adapted to Indian dry conditions. Before planting confirm your soil and rainfall pattern with a KVK or horticulture office, since the timing of rain versus your fruiting season strongly affects quality and price.
Here in the Pune belt fig does very well because our summers are dry. The problem years are when unseasonal rain hits the ripening fruit and they split and rot. Drainage and managing the bahar timing are key.
It survives dry spells better than many fruit crops once the roots go down. I would not plant it where the monsoon is long and heavy at harvest time though.