Ganderbal, July 30: Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, which is famous for cultivating special and varieties of grapes, has now started cultivating watermelons. The horticulture and agriculture sectors are the main sources of economy for Jammu & Kashmir, fetching around 1000 crore rupees in revenue to the union territory annually.
Manzoor Ahmad, a farmer from the Batwina area of Ganderbal, told Rising Kashmir that he cultivated watermelon in the off-season on his land.
“I have been doing this work for the last many years and we are being provided additional information about how to produce the best quality of watermelon,” he said.
If the horticulture department provides us with information regarding the cultivation of watermelon, it would be of great help and may increase the income of farmers, he said. “We are directly and indirectly affiliated with this business for years and are trying our best to cultivate the best quality of Zebra Shaped Watermelon.”
Manzoor said that Ganderbal has produced tons of cherries and various varieties of grapes at thousands of hectares, which is a source of livelihood for many people. The watermelons of the Batwina village are ready and available in an around the district, he said.
Another farmer said that watermelon fruit mostly grows in hot and humid places like Gujarat, Bangalore and Maharashtra, but there are some areas of Kashmir where their cultivation has now begun which is relatively colder than the plains of India.
Melons are one of the most loved fruits to grow and eat when the growing season arrives, he said, adding that the melon thrives in warmer temperatures and well-drained soil.
The top producer of watermelon in the world is China and the other major producers are Turkey, Iran and Kazakhstan. In India, it is cultivated in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh and now it has also started in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
