Sitaphal Bahar Treatment: Complete Seasonal Guide

Bahar treatment is the most important practice in custard apple farming. It controls when your trees flower and fruit. Done correctly, it helps you get your harvest at the time when market prices are highest. Here is a complete guide to all three bahars.

What is Bahar Treatment?

Custard apple trees can flower multiple times in a year if conditions are right. Bahar treatment is the practice of stressing the tree at a specific time so it flowers and fruits on your schedule rather than randomly. The stress is created by withholding water and sometimes removing leaves to trigger a new flush of growth.

Mrig Bahar: June to July

Mrig bahar is triggered at the start of the monsoon season. Withhold water from March to May and then allow irrigation or rain in June to trigger new growth. Fruit from Mrig bahar is ready between November and January. This is the most commonly practised bahar because custard apple prices are good in winter.

Hasta Bahar: September to October

Hasta bahar is triggered after the monsoon. Stop irrigation after Mrig bahar harvest and withhold water from May to September. Then irrigate again in September to trigger new flowering. Fruit from Hasta bahar is ready between February and April. Prices are often very good in this period as supply is lower.

Ambe Bahar: January to February

Ambe bahar is the summer crop. It is the most risky of the three bahars because flowering happens in summer and fruit development needs careful irrigation management. However, custard apple prices in June and July can be very high making Ambe bahar attractive for farmers who can manage the irrigation well.