Natural Blueberries: A Backstory:
Kalasan Nursery Farm (KNF) has been actively engaged in a variety of agricultural projects, with one of the noteworthy initiatives being the Blueberry Project. One key challenge which KNF has addressed is that of appropriate Varietal Selection. As there are number of crops for which little or no research is available in India and specially Himachal Pradesh, KNF does its bit for the sector and experiments at its risk, suitable varities. After apples, blueberries are the primary success case of such an experimentation in Himachal Pradesh.
Blueberries were first introduced in Karsog in 2021, marking the beginning of experimental trials to assess their adaptability to local climatic and soil conditions.
In 2025, Gram Disha Trust and its Delhi based social enterprise JaivikHaat Pvt. Ltd. has started the market linkage process for Bluberries in multiple cities of India to support the farm sector with a new product. The Blueberry is an interesting produce, since it has a good shelf life and apart from the challenging soil medium management, it grows virtually without any chemicals or pesticides. Thus it is a stable crop solution for Agroecology in Mid-Himalayan region.
Since then, the farm has explored and implemented several innovative cultivation practices. Among these was the shift from pot-based cultivation to direct soil planting, driven by the specific requirements of blueberry plants for low pH, controlled electrical conductivity (EC), and enhanced soil aeration.
Over the course of these trials, valuable insights were gained regarding plant response, yield performance, and management practices under the unique conditions of the region. A comprehensive report has been prepared, documenting the outcomes of these experimental approaches and highlighting key learnings. Below is one such report from the farm’s ongoing blueberry trials.
This report is designed not only as a record of the trials conducted at Kalasan Nursery Farm but also as a practical reference for growers. By presenting a data on yield, adaptability, and fruit quality across multiple cultivars, the report enables farmers to compare varietal performance under Himalayan hill conditions.
KNF is one of the rare locations where the Blueberry bush is being grown directly in the soil as opposed to bags. This is a big challenge since Blueberry crop is very sensitive to pH in the soil. For a highly drained, sandy rocky soil strata, maintaining a suitable pH is very challenging due to lack of organic matter and high degree of leaching. However, with trials and attempts, KNF has been able to stablise the plant as well as start production for markets in 2025.
Observations on successes and failures, along with notes on substrate management and future recommendations, provide growers with evidence-based guidance. This makes it easier for them to select varieties that align with their local conditions, whether in high-chill hill regions or lower elevations, and to plan plantations with greater confidence and reduced risk.
Such experiments, while risky, for the farm eventually brings valuable knowledge to the farmers of the region. It is always a challenge for farmers on which cultivar is suitable for their location.
Gram Disha Trust does its part by ensuring that such important information is available in the public domain for the benefit of all farmers. It is also an interesting journey to evolve Agroecological production systems sans chemicals for crops. A large transformation towards such production is possible if the right and resilient cultivar is identifiable. In this case study, KNF has done exactly this to support other farmers with such transformations.
