|
Nature
has endowed Kashmir with innumerable
gifts, its towering snow clad
mountains, bubbling streams,
transparent and sparkling lakes,
flower meadows, colorful orchards
and rare fauna have always attracted
numerous tourists from all corners
of the world.
The
age-old traditional fruit
cultivation has profusely colored
the serenity and tranquility of
Kashmir’s landscape. Kashmir, the
land of fauna, flora and fruits
possesses a rich history of fruit
cultivation. Years before the time
of warrior King ‘Lalita Ditya’ and
though the golden periods of
benevolent kings like
‘Awantiwaraman’ and Sultan
Zain-ul-Abdin ‘Badshah’, Kashmir has
remained the symbol of fruits and
flowers.
The
horticulture industry in Kashmir has
become the bulwark of rural economy
in the state. This industry earns a
revenue of over Rs. 50 crores yearly
and provides job facilities to the
thousands of people directly and
indirectly.
Here
are some choicest varieties of
Kashmir fruit :
Apple
Amri (Ambri Kashmiri)
Lawrence describes it as "the most
popular apple in Kashmir ------- a
sweet fruit ripening in October and
keeping its condition for a long
time and finding favour with the
natives of India for its sweetness
and its handsome appearance" Ambri
is indigenous to Kashmir and
continues to enjoy superiority by
virtue of its crisp, sweet flesh and
excellent aroma. The fruit is
blushed red, striped, medium-sized
and oblong to conical in shape with
longer storage life. The fruit
matures in the last week of
September to first week of October.
It is an excellent dessert variety.
American trel (American Apirogue)
This
variety has crisp juicy, greenish
white and sweet flesh and is usually
medium-sized, as a result of which
it has become very popular with
consumers. Oblate-shaped, blushed
and patchy red with a smooth
surface, it matures in the last week
of September. A good dessert
variety.
 Delicious (Red Delicious)
A
world-renowned variety. It is one of
the most widely grown apples. The
fruit is tapering in shape with
characteristic five lobes at the
apex. Skin is smooth, striped and
blushed red. Flesh is fine grained,
greenish white, sweet, very juicy
and crisp with good aroma. Size is
medium to large and it matures by
the end of September. A good dessert
variety.
Maharaji (White Dotted Red)
A
large-sized apple with bright red
color on a green base with
conspicious dots. Flesh is crisp,
very juicy, acidic and aromatic. The
variety sweetens in storage and in
an excellent keeper. The fruit
matures in late October. It is also
a cooking and dessert variety.
Hazaratbali (Benoni)
A
medium-sized apple with rounds to
slightly conical in shape and red to
striped skin; white juicy and sweet
flesh. It is the earliest variety of
apple available from the valley,
maturing in mid-July.
Kesri (Cox’s Orange Pippin)
An
old English medium-sized apple; it
is round to conical in shape with
skin orange red deepening to bright
red. The flesh is yellow, firm,
crisp, tender and very juicy. A
dessert apple with good aroma and
sub-acidic taste. The fruit matures
in mid August.
Pear
Nakh Kashmiri (Chinese Sandy Pear)
This
variety gets its name from grained
flesh. A conical shaped, small to
medium sized variety with crisp,
white and juicy flesh. The skin is
thick and green in color that turns
yellow on ripening. Carries well in
storage and is an excellent dessert
variety.
Williams
A
widely known English variety. The
fruit is large-sized and
symmetrical. Skin is yellow with
faint blush. The flesh is fine,
grained, juicy and sweet. The fruit
matures in mid July. A good dessert
variety and the choice of canners.
Cherry
Gilas Double (Bigarreau Napoleon)
This
variety is large-sized and
attractive with cream-red color. The
flesh is firm and juicy but slightly
acidic. A good keeper; excellent for
canning, and dessert purposes.
Gilas Awal Number (Guigne Pourpera
Pecoce)
Medium-sized, light red colored and
quite fleshy. The flesh is juicy and
sweet with acidic tinge. First to
come in the market in May. A good
dessert variety.
Gilas Misri (Bigarreau Noir Grossa)
Large sized and red colored; its
skin is firm and flesh is sweet and
juicy. A good dessert variety.
Walnut
Kashmir walnuts are popular within
the country as well as in foreign
markets; a source of substantial
foreign exchange. On the basis of
shell thickness these are grouped as
"Burzil", "Kagzi" and "Wont";
corresponding to "Paper-shelled".
Walnut Kernels are used in
confectionery, as dessert and for
extraction of oil.
Almond
Kashmir almonds are known for their
superiority of taste and are very
popular with the consumers. Like
walnuts these are also grouped on
the basis of shell thickness as
"Papery", "Thin-shelled", and
"Thick-shelled". Considered as
highly nourishing and of great
medicinal value, its kernels are
used in confectionery as well as
dessert. Its trees are the first
blooming fruit trees and an
enchanting sight that lends glamour
to the spring in Kashmir.
|
