Pomegranate prices finally become stable

NASHIK: The prices of pomegranate have finally stabilized after suffering a drop to almost Rs 5 a kg in the wake of harvest loss following the unseasonal hailstorms.
Subhash Nagre, the deputy director at Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA), said the rates had dropped in the two combined seasons - one between March and April and the other between July and August. About 25% of the produce is harvested in the first two months, while about 50% more is harvested in the last two months.
The harvest normally starts from the month of November-December with 25% of produce being extracted. "These are the two major seasons when the harvesting of the fruit is done on a large scale. However, hailstorms in February and March affected the season and delayed the harvest process," he added. Nagre said that a large quantity of fruit was harvested during the two seasons, which is usually done in gaps. "Also the delay in harvesting process caused over ripening of the fruit, which got no acceptance in the market. Even the international market did not accept the produce as it did not have quality required by them," he added.
About 40, 000 tonnes of pomegranate are exported to international market, mainly in Arab countries and Russia, every year. But this year, the exports have not been substantial.