Orange growers here should trim their trees twice a year to increase production, according to an agriculture expert from Israel, who is on a visit to India.
Gabi Nakhum, who has years of experience in the field of agriculture and has worked in many countries, asked the growers in Katol here to trim their trees at least twice a year to allow more exposure to sunlight.
"The average production of 7-8 tonnes of oranges in an acre can go up to 20 to 25 tonnes if the trees are trimmed twice in March and June for sunlight and if proper watering is done," he said.
Insufficient sunlight is one reason behind lack of good crop, he said.
Nakhum, who visited the orchards, was accompanied by Katol MLA Ashish Deshmukh.
In a statement, Deshmukh said that he has urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to hand over a closed orange juice extraction plant in Katol to Baba Ramdev's Patanjali group.
The orange juice can be sent to Nanded for processing and packing, he added.
