Pomegranate
- Context (PIB): Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitates India’s first commercial trial shipment of Sangola pomegranates to the US.
Pomegranate
- It is an important fruit crop of arid and semi-arid regions originated from Iran.
- India is the only country in the world where pomegranate is available throughout the year.
- Pomegranate is propagated vegetatively by cuttings, air layering or gootee.
- Pomegranate-producing states Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, with Maharashtra contributing to more than 50% of the production share.
- Soil: Can be grown on a wide range of soils, from sandy soil to loamy soil.
- Popular varieties: Bhagwa, considered amongst the best varieties around the world.
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Agro-climatic requirements
- Can be grown up to an altitude of 500 m.
- It thrives well under hot, dry summers and cold winters, provided irrigation facilities are available.
- The tree requires a hot and dry climate during fruit development and ripening.
- Pomegranate trees are deciduous in areas of low winter temperature and evergreen or partially deciduous in tropical and sub-tropical conditions.
- It can tolerate frost to a considerable extent in the dormant stage.
- India produces some of the best varieties of Pomegranate in terms of quality with soft fleshy seeds, low acidity and attractive colour.
- India ranks seventh in production of pomegranate in the world and the total area under cultivation is around 2,75,500 hectares (as on Aug 2023).
