Favourable weather conditions are being attributed to this fiscal year's increase in pomegranate exports from Maharashtra; in comparison with the same period last year, exports have seen an increase of 43.57%. The fruit is exported to UAE, Netherlands, UK, Saudi Arabia, Russian Federation, Bangladesh, Egypt, Arab Republic, Bahrain, Kuwait, Thailand, Nepal and Oman.
S S Adasul, director of the state agriculture department, said, "The state has exported 57,430 metric tonnes of pomegranates by March 18 and the figure may touch 60,000 metric tonnes by March 31. To the same period last fiscal, the state had exported 40,000 metric tonnes of pomegranates."
Maharashtra is a major producer of pomegranates and contributes 81% of the country's total export. At present, the total area under pomegranate cultivation across the country is 169,000 hectares, including 139,000 hectares in Maharashtra. The area under pomegranate cultivation in Nashik district is close to 45,000 hectares. Besides Nashik, the major pomegranate-producing pockets in the state include Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Pune and Solapur.
The total pomegranate production of the country is estimated at 1.68 million metric tonnes, including 1.34 million metric tonnes in Maharashtra. The first season for harvesting pomegranates begins during July-September, while the second harvest season commences in January-February. The export season of the fruit starts in November every year and continues till March-end.
During the current financial year, around 3,000 orchards of pomegranates in Jalgaon, Nashik, Pune, Solapur, Aurangabad, Beed, Jalna and Latur were registered with the agriculture department for export.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
