Strawberry boom reshapes farming in Gujarat's Dang district
Strawberry production in Gujarat’s Dang district has risen by roughly 65 percent in three years, giving farmers a higher-value horticulture model and wider market access.
Winter Dawn, Sweet Charlie, Camaroza and Selva are among the strawberry varieties driving a sharp change in the farm economy of Dang district in Gujarat. According to figures shared by the state government on May 21, strawberry production in the predominantly tribal district rose by nearly 65 percent between fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2026. The crop is no longer a small experiment in a few pockets but a visible shift toward higher-value horticulture.
Over that period, the cultivated area expanded from 20 hectares to about 33 hectares, also an increase of about 65 percent. Output rose from 140 metric tonnes in fiscal 2023 to an estimated 233 metric tonnes in fiscal 2026. The report links that growth to natural-farming practices, government-backed horticulture schemes and stronger access to large urban markets.
The shift matters because many farmers in Dang historically depended on lower-yield, rain-dependent crops such as paddy, nagli, urad and varai, while also relying on wage labor outside the district. Water scarcity, erratic rainfall and weak price realization often made those income streams uncertain. Strawberry cultivation has started to change that by moving farmers toward more structured, market-linked production cycles with much stronger per-hectare returns.
Government data cited in the article indicate that farmers growing strawberries are now earning around 7 lakh to 8 lakh rupees per hectare each year, depending on yield quality, variety choice and market timing. That has made strawberries one of the most remunerative crops in the region, including for small and marginal farmers. Production has also clustered geographically, with villages in Ahwa taluka and Waghai taluka emerging as recognizable strawberry zones.
That clustering has improved farmer-to-farmer knowledge exchange, better coordination in input purchases and more efficient aggregation of produce for transport. Where the crop was once sold mainly in local markets such as Saputara and Ahwa, strawberries from Dang are now increasingly reaching wholesale and retail markets in Ahmedabad, Surat and Bharuch. Better awareness of cold-chain handling and packaging is also helping reduce post-harvest losses, which is critical for a perishable fruit.
Dang also appears to offer strong agronomic conditions for the crop. The article points to well-drained sandy loam soils rich in organic matter, a pH range of 5.5 to 7.0 and a temperate winter microclimate. Day temperatures of 22C to 25C and night temperatures of 7C to 13C are described as favorable for flowering and fruit development. Among the varieties being grown are Winter Dawn, Early Winter, Camaroza, Sweet Charlie, Nabhila, Nabady, Selva, Bellruby and Pajero, with Winter Dawn remaining the most popular because its harvest window extends from December through February and into March.