India: Mango trees could be destroyed in favor of pears
Indian mango orchards close to the Pakistani border could be destroyed to make way for pear cultivation, www.freshfruitportal.com has learned. 
Some politicians in the Indian state of Punjab are considering the move citing financial reasons for the proposed cull, but others are believed to be against destroying the trees.
However, permission first needs to be sought from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), an organization in charge of environmental protection and conservation issues in India.
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) fruits and horticultural technology division head Anand Kumar Singh says the mango trees in question date back almost 60 years and have not been financially fruitful over the years.
"A section of the government of the Punjab is thinking to remove some mango orchards near the Pakistan border," Singh told www.freshfruitportal.com.
"These trees are very old and have not remained productive from an economic point of view. It is believed that these trees were planted before 1947.
"This particular area is more suited to pear cultivation than mango. When the mango was planted perhaps economics was not a consideration. However, several politicians are raising their voices against it."
It is understood the mango orchard is approximately 28 acres and consists of around 450 trees.
"It may not be an easy decision to enforce by State Government. These days it is not easy to remove any tree as the NGT is known to be a very strict institution in this regard," Singh added.
Photo: www.shutterstock.com
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