Kiwifruit cultivation in Kashmir: Opportunity galore?

Mir Saqib 

mirsaqibali@gmail.com

Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, kiwifruit has become very popular in India in the last three years. Though, originally from China where they are known as wild gooseberry or Chinese gooseberry, the kiwi is nowadays identified with New Zealand. The word KIWI has become a synonym for the people of New Zealand, as we often hear people calling them Kiwis.

It is said that the missionaries took the wild gooseberry from China and cultivated it in New Zealand in the 19th century. It became very popular among the Britishers during World War and they started its commercial planting.
Within the span of three years, when India starred importing kiwifruit, the import has reached 40,000 metric tonnes per annum sourced mostly from Iran, Chile and New Zealand.

With the rising middle class in India, Kiwi has found the way to breakfast tables, evening salads, confectionery toppings. Medicinal properties of the fruit have also made a significant impact to make inroads in the Indian market. It is claimed to be useful for maintaining cholesterol level. Vitamin C maintains the heart and a good amount of dietary fibre present in it helps with digestion.

Kiwi is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. It helps control cholesterol and contain high fever. The fruit fetches a good price in the market. The plant grows fully at the age of five and starts giving fruit. When fully grown, one plant can give 1,000 to 1,200 fruits (approximately) annually with an average price of Rs 20 per piece.

Possibilities of Kiwifruit cultivation in Kashmir

Though the temperatures and topography of Kashmir are considered ideal for kiwi cultivation, the proper introduction of the kiwi plantation is yet to be seen in the fields here. However, some experimental orchards have been developed by the SKUAST-Kashmir.

Given the rising imports of the fruit, Kiwi production has scope in Kashmir. Low custom duty of 15%, growers say, makes it difficult for the locals to penetrate the market. Also, farmers are hesitant to shift to a different crop, which so far, they have no experience of, when the chief fruit of Kashmir, apple, has an established market across the subcontinent.

Apple has been introduced in the valley long ago seeing the topography and climate suits the cultivation and even after centuries after the apple remains the most important cash crop of the valley with a total value of the sector around Rs 10,000 crore annually. Having said that, the horticulture sector in Kashmir needs a re-look to make the introduction of new varieties of fruits for better use of land and resources.

A kiwi sells Rs 25-30 per piece, while as, an apple sells Rs 5-8. Therefore, it has immense potential and can provide much-needed cash flow to the sector.

Kiwi is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. It helps control cholesterol and contain high fever. The fruit fetches a good price in the market. The plant grows fully at the age of five and starts giving fruit. When fully grown, one plant can give 1,000 to 1,200 fruits (approximately) annually with an average price of Rs 20 per piece.

To mark some beginning, SKAUST-K celebrated kiwi awareness day last year to inform the farmers about the benefits and income generation by its cultivation. Not much has happened beyond that event. No mass scale awareness has been initiated by the horticulture department.
To begin with, every household should plant one kiwi plant this spring.