June the 28th, 2023 – One Zagorje OPG (family farm) is growing no less than exotic Indian bananas in the rolling hills of Gornja Stubica. It boasts one of the largest plantations in all of Europe.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the hardworking Plaščar family from Gornja Stubica grows Indian bananas. It all started back in 2014 with about fifty test seedlings, and today they have more than two and a half thousand of them. Although extremely unusual for this climate, the Indian banana absolutely thrives there, and according to data from the Faculty of Agriculture, this is one of the largest plantations in all of Europe, writes HRT.
Tenerife started it all
During a trip to Tenerife, Ivan Plaščar and his wife tasted fruit that made all his senses jump into action. After that, it was precisely the tasty Indian banana that he decided to plant in 2014 on his property in the very heart of Zagorje.
“That’s right, here in the village of Šagudovec near Gornja Stubica, I started with those fifty plantations, they were overgrown, I started consolidating the land and planting more and more bananas,” explained Ivan Plaščar.
He bought the neglected groves, cleared and planted Indian bananas. There were various anecdotes as a result, as one might imagine.
Krapina’s authorities thought it was a joke
“When I was registering my OPG in Krapina, they asked me what I had on that plot, I told them Indian bananas. The lady there said to me, don’t take the p*ss, look how many people are waiting outside,” Ivan recalled.
2018 was a crucial year
“There was one tree growing. Every day I was coming to the ranch and measuring the plant from May until September,” he explained.
Today, there are as many as two thousand five hundred Indian bananas planted over five hectares thanks to this Zagorje OPG. Flowering time takes place in April, and now the first fruits are being monitored, because this year’s fickle climate is actually more or less in their favour.
In Zagorje, this fruit grows between 250 and 500 grams in weight, and when it ripens, it tastes like mango, pineapple and ordinary banana.
Two Tonnes of crop
The harvest is during September, and back in 2022, the yield from this Zagorje OPG was a very impressive two tonnes, this year it will be double, and in a few years, during the full harvest, he expects yields of 50 tonnes.
“The prices are from 10 euros per kilo, last year we placed everything on the doorstep. We’re planning to process fruit pulp, we have already started to purchase the machines themselves and we’re now seeing what we can do with regards to funds”, said Plascar.
Although there is a lot of work, Mr. Plascar is proud because he has one of the largest Indian banana plantations in this part of Europe, right in the heart of gorgeous Zagorje.
