Imported varieties have brought about a revolution in the cherry industry of Kashmir. Growers of the region now feel less worried about rain damage, a fear once pervasive in the valley. In the last decade, about half a dozen cherry varieties have been imported into Kashmir from different countries of the world, mostly Italy. These fruits not only fetch more returns for the growers but are also less vulnerable to rain, unlike the traditional cherry.
None of the imported brands can really compete with the traditional Mishri variety in terms of colour, crunch, and nutritional value, but this specific variety often becomes the worst victim of rain.
One of the
best features of these newly introduced varieties is that the cherries ripen at different times of the brief picking season, thus maintaining the demand and supply chain and bringing good revenues to growers. It also keeps the farmers busy with picking and packing for a longer duration, providing jobs to both local and non-local manual workers for more days.
According to kashmirreader.com¸ Kashmir on average grows about 15,000 tons of cherry every year. Shopian in south Kashmir and Ganderbal and Srinagar in central Kashmir are the biggest producers of cherry.