Tourists throng this dainty Kashmir village to see fruit trees in full bloom

Kashmir’s Zawoora village is currently thronged by locals and tourists as they visit the Centre of Excellence where hundreds of fruit trees are in full bloom and spring is in the air

In the south of the city under the lap of the majestic Pir Panchal mountain range, Zawoora village is currently thronged by locals and domestic tourists as they visit the Centre of Excellence where hundreds of fruit trees are in full bloom and spring is in the air.

Spread over 15 hectares, the Centre of Excellence where hundreds of fruit trees are in full bloom, has been established by the Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture department and is equipped with the latest technology. So far 20,000 people, including tourists from different states, visited the centre. (HT Photo)

At the dozen-odd separate orchards of the centre, pink and white flowers present an attractive look and fascinate every person visiting this place. Spread over 15 hectares, this centre has been established by J&K’s horticulture department and is equipped with the latest technology.

Last week, the centre was first time thrown open by the horticulture department for the people, especially tourists, as part of Horti-tourism and spring festival programmes. “So far 20,000 people, including tourists from different states, visited the centre. They had first-hand experience of fruit blooming in Kashmir. The entry here is free,” director, horticulture, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat said.

The Centre of Excellence which has hundreds of varieties of exotic plants is meant for the production of high-quality fruit plants, besides serving as a demonstration centre for micro-irrigation, high tech greenhouse technology. “This centre serves as a demonstration centre for farmers and students. It’s a model project and has a weather-based station, besides testing labs and farm training school,” Bhat said, adding that they also provide bud wood and scion wood to growers from this place. “Here Clonal rootstock is propagated and multiplied which form the plants of high density locally, and is the future of fruit industry,” he said.

The centre has separate - almond, peach, apricot, plum, pear, high-density apple and cherry. “It’s the first time I am visiting a place where I could see plants of different varieties in full bloom. Even the officials explained to us about the process of apple production from beginning till harvest,” said Satish Kumar, a tourist from Punjab.

Another visitor Asif Khan said that the centre presents a colourful picture. “It can emerge as a new tourist spot.”

Fruit is one of the biggest trades in J&K and as per official records, seven lakh farming families (approximately 35 lakh people) are directly or indirectly associated with the sector. Apple trade contributes to around 8% of UT’s GDP and the government is trying to increase production by introducing high-density plantations. The government and some non-governmental organisations are exploring options so that the fruit industry, besides trade, could be used as a tourist attraction and tourists could visit apple and other fruit orchards spread across Kashmir.