ICAR reduces Sohiong fruiting period to 3-4 years, targets commercial cultivation in Meghalaya

ICAR announced a breakthrough in the breeding of Sohiong, a fruit native to the northeastern region, by reducing its fruit‑bearing cycle to three to four years.\n\nEarlier varieties of Sohiong required seven to ten years before producing marketable fruit, but the new lines, developed through accelerated selection and tissue‑culture techniques, now flower and fruit within a much shorter span.\n\nThe council has earmarked Meghalaya for large‑scale field trials, citing the state’s suitable climate and the potential to create a new horticultural cash crop for local farmers.\n\nOfficials said the reduced cycle could attract private investment, align with the government’s push to diversify Northeast agriculture, and boost farmer incomes.\n\nThe project will be coordinated with the Meghalaya Department of Agriculture, and quality planting material is expected to be distributed to interested growers later this year.