NIZAMABAD: When social media gurus touted the water apple’s diabetic-friendly magic, guava farmers listened. Now, between December’s chill and April’s bloom, tribal women hawk these ruby-red “rose apples” at train stations and street corners, their sales pitches peppered with YouTube references.
What began as Ayurvedic advice online has ripened into orchards swapped from guava to water apple — a shift as sweet for farmers as the fruit is for fitness freaks.
With health-conscious conversations around food habits gaining traction online, fruits like the water apple — also known as the rose apple — are slowly making their way into local markets. Typically available between December and April, this glossy, bell-shaped fruit is now drawing curiosity from urban buyers, thanks in part to its rising popularity on social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram.
Inspired by what they see online, fruit vendors are quick to introduce such lesser-known fruits into their stalls. One such example is from the orchards of Medchal and its neighbouring regions, where guava gardens — already in high demand due to the increasing number of diabetic and health-conscious consumers — are now doubling up as water apple farms. What began as an experimental plantation has matured into a seasonal harvest, now yielding vibrant fruits that are both refreshing and medicinal.
Interestingly, it’s tribal women who are playing a crucial role in this market evolution. From the pavements of Hyderabad city and its outskirts to railway platforms in Nizamabad, these women are the primary street sellers of guavas and, more recently, water apples.
On footpaths and at busy junctions, they not only sell the fruits but also educate buyers about their benefits — encouraging them to “search on YouTube” to learn more about the nutritional and medicinal value.
Ayurveda expert JG Das says this shift is a welcome one. “When medicinal fruits are available in local markets, dependency on medication naturally decreases,” he tells TNIE. “If people develop the habit of maintaining health through food, it transforms their lifestyle.”
As awareness grows, so does demand — not just for fruits, but for knowledge. What started as a trend on social media is now shaping rural economies and empowering tribal communities, one fruit at a time.