Pushkar’s Jamun Boom: The Superfruit Farmers Risk Their Lives To Harvest, Sell For Rs 200–250 Per KG
The super fruit enjoys soaring demand nationwide, fetching premium prices, risky harvesting and weather challenges, while spawning value-added products, reports Priyank Sharma.
Published : July 4, 2026 at 1:41 PM IST
Ajmer: In ancient times, the Indian subcontinent is believed to have been known as Jambudweep - the island of jamun (Indian blackberry) trees that are said to have once covered large parts of the region. Historians and botanists also believe the fruit originated in India. Even today, jamun is cultivated across large swathes of the country, especially around Rajasthan’s holy town of Pushkar, where farmers are reaping rich rewards from the seasonal fruit.
Revered for its distinctive sweet-tart flavour, jamun has long been regarded as one of nature’s most valuable gifts, prized not only for its taste but also for its medicinal properties.
Pushkar’s jamun has a unique taste and texture. The region’s fertile soil and favourable climate also support fruits such as amla, mulberry, falsa, gonda and citron lemon, besides its famed roses. But during the monsoon, it is Pushkar’s jamun that steals the show, with demand pouring in from across the country.
Renowned for its flavour and medicinal qualities, Pushkar’s jamun is now shipped to markets across North India and Mumbai, making it one of the most sought-after seasonal fruits.
Jamun is available for six weeks each year, but its pulp and seed are valued for their therapeutic benefits throughout. Rising health awareness has also boosted demand significantly given its health benefits. A fruit that once retailed for Rs 30-40 per kg now sells for Rs 200-250 per kg in markets, while farmers receive around Rs 80-100 per kg.
A farmer leader Tarachand Gehlot says the season is currently at its peak and will last only another 15-20 days. “In this one-and-a-quarter-month season, Pushkar’s fruit market receives between 15,000 and 25,000 kilograms of jamun every day. Wholesale traders buy the fruit here and send it to Jaipur, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, from where it is supplied across North India and even Mumbai,” he said.
Gehlot recalls that four decades ago, only two varieties, desi and silli, were cultivated in Pushkar. Today, farmers grow four varieties, including Khajuri and grafted Khajuri.
“A grafted jamun tree starts bearing fruit in just three years, while traditional varieties take nearly 10 years. Except for grafted trees, most jamun trees continue producing fruit for nearly a century,” he said.
Traditional, silli and Khajuri jamun trees can grow up to 100 feet tall, making harvesting one of the most risky jobs in horticulture.
Gehlot says, "Years ago, farmers used wooden swings suspended by ropes to pluck the fruit. One worker sat on the swing collecting jamun while another controlled the ropes from the ground. Today, long ladders are being used but that does not reduce the risk."
Another farmer Ritesh Gehlot explains that despite their thick trunks, jamun trees have fragile branches.
“The branches can snap if someone loses balance. Harvesting requires skilled workers who are lightweight, agile and comfortable working at great heights. Such labourers are becoming increasingly difficult to find,” he said.
Jamun harvesters are now in demand, and they earn up to Rs 1,200 a day.
According to Gehlot, a mature jamun tree can produce between 450 and 500 kilograms of fruit in a good season. However, the harvest is also dependent on weather conditions.
"If strong winds or unseasonal rain occur during flowering, farmers suffer heavy losses. We also have to spray pesticides at least twice a year to protect the crop. Delayed spraying can lead to insect attacks that destroy the entire harvest,” he said.
Villages including Devnagar, Ganaheda, Banseli, Tilora, Motisar and Bhagwanpura are among Pushkar’s major jamun-producing areas.
Once harvested, the fruit is packed in four-kilogram cartons and rushed to the mandi because freshness is most important. It, in fact, directly determines its market price.
But the catch is Pushkar’s jamun is not sold only as fresh fruit these days. Its pulp is processed into a fruit leather popularly known among foreign tourists as “Jamun Chips.” What began as a small cottage industry has grown into a thriving business.
During the season, a single processing unit now converts nearly 10,000 kilograms of jamun into products including jamun chips, squash and seed powder. These organic products are sold year-round in Mumbai, Daman, Surat, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Chennai and Delhi.
Pushkar now has around 8-10 food processing units that make jamun-based products. In Ajmer, entrepreneurs have even introduced jamun-flavoured ice cream.
"My unit produces juice, chips and seed powder from the fruit which are high in demand," said Ved Prakash Palariya, who has been processing jamun for the past 12 years.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, jamun has immense medicinal value. Dr GR Puri, Principal Medical Officer of Pushkar Government Hospital, said jamun is rich in vitamins, fibre and nutrients.
“Jamun contains Vitamin C and dietary fibre, both of which support digestive health. It also contains a compound called Jambolin, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. In addition, it helps reduce bad cholesterol and supports healthy blood pressure,” he added.
Dr Puri, however, advises that jamun should never be consumed on an empty stomach.
“Eating jamun without food may cause gastric discomfort. It is best consumed after meals. Even the seed is valuable - farmers dry the seeds, extract the green kernel and grind it into a powder that is widely used as a traditional remedy for people with diabetes,” he added.
Although farmers and traditional practitioners attribute health benefits to jamun seed powder, people with diabetes should consult a qualified healthcare professional before using it as a treatment or substitute for prescribed medication.
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