Kiwi farming in Kashmir: A success story

Sopore in North Kashmir, known as Apple Tower in Jammu and Kashmir, is now becoming a kiwi stronghold. Many farmers of Sopore city have started a new tradition in the area by starting Kiwi cultivation.

The results of Kiwi crop are coming very well. In 1987, as an experiment, a person planted kiwi plants in several areas of Kashmir; The Horticulture Department of the State Government established a nursery. Kiwi saplings are being raised in nurseries at Patan, Baramulla and Uri.

In many areas of North Kashmir, farmers have planted Kiwi saplings. If we talk about the production of Kiwi from a small farm of a farmer, then it grows up to 300 boxes of Kiwi per year. If there are 100 kiwi plants in a nursery, more than two hundred and fifty cans of kiwi are prepared.

“We are producing a good amount of fruit with little investment,” said Bashir Ahmed, a farmer, who brought kiwi saplings from Himachal Pardesh three years ago, planted them in his orchard and got the yield.

However, Bashir highlighted the difficulty he faced in exporting the fruit due to the lack of material needed for packaging.

Kiwi farming in Kashmir

He said that after drying this fruit, it costs 1,800 per kg, which is indeed a significant return for his hard work. War said people don’t have enough knowledge about kiwi farming, but once they know, “I’m sure people will switch to this sector, as there are good profits plus less effort is needed.” He said that this could turn out to be the best alternative in the horticultural sector.

“First I knew nothing about the kiwi and I found out that it is being grown in New Zealand and they have named this fruit after their national bird “Kiwi”. As my interest developed, I searched the internet and checked all the details about kiwi farming,” Bashir said.

Bashir said; “During my visit to Dubai, I saw that kiwis were selling like hot cakes in the markets and I thought why can’t I grow them in my own garden?” After consulting with experts in agriculture and horticulture, he said that he finally decided to go for the Kiwifruit plantation in my orchard.

Kiwi is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Helps control cholesterol and contain high fever. The fruit reaches a good price in the market. The plant is fully grown at the age of five and begins to bear fruit. When fully grown, a plant can bear 1,000 to 1,200 fruits (approximately) a year with an average price of Rs 20 per piece.

Kiwi fruit farming

Kiwifruit commercial farming is a relatively new growth business in several areas. As a result, you can benefit from this opportunity. Kiwifruit is native to China, also known as Chinese gooseberry. This sweet and tart little fruit is packed with many nutrients and therefore offers numerous health benefits. In India, kiwi is mainly grown in Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala.

Kiwi fruit

Kiwi is an organic fruit. No pesticides or chemicals are used. The kiwi plant does not even suffer from diseases, so farmers in Kashmir have started to like kiwi cultivation.

Kiwifruit is grown in cold, mountainous areas of India. Gardens at an altitude of 900 to 1,800 meters above the sea are best for kiwi. In warm areas for the production of apples and cold for varieties such as lemon-mango, kiwi can be grown.

People eat nutrient-dense kiwis with great relish. It is rich in many kinds of vitamins. The sale of kiwi increases significantly in times of coronavirus crisis and diseases such as dengue. Kiwifruit is considered a great source of vitamin C. Kiwifruit is grown on a large scale in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and the Northeast.

Kiwi fruits are quite hardy and grow in a wide range of temperatures, but to produce the best quality kiwi they need:

1. Fertile, well-drained soils
2. Shelter from the wind.
3. Adequate humidity throughout the year.
4. Autumn and spring frost protection.