TIMERGARA: Persimmon is rapidly replacing famous golden orange of Khall and Rabat in Dir as local farmers find it easy to grow and market the juicy and delicious fruit.

Farmers say that demand for persimmon, grown in different parts of Lower and Upper Dir, has increased as people like it more as compared to the persimmon grown in other areas.

The supply of persimmon to market has begun with the start of winter. The local people call it Amlook. Some people call it Japanese fruit as they believe it has been imported from the far eastern countries.

There are three different kinds of persimmon produced in Dir and one can see dozens of its orchards on roadside from Timergara to Dir Khas. The farmers have started plucking the fruit.

Govt asked to facilitate farmers in growing and marketing the fruit

“Persimmon is sold at Rs50 per kilogram. That’s why local people prefer to buy it,” Abdullah, a customer told Dawn. He said that poor people were unable to buy apples, grapes, pears or pomegranates those days.

Murad Ali, district director agriculture, told Dawn that orchards of persimmon were stretched over 225 acres of land that produced nearly 900 tonnes of fruit. He said that there had been a shift towards persimmon in Dir as majority of farmers preferred to grow it owing to its income.

Hamid Khan, a persimmon dealer, said that the fruit was also being exported to big cities like Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. He said that people also sent it to friends as a gift.

“It is quite different from that of Punjab and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” said Mr Khan. He added that persimmon grown in Swat also could not compete with it in taste and beauty. He said that farmers were growing the fruit on their own and the government or agriculture department had no contribution in it. He demanded of the government to facilitate farmers in growing and marketing the fruit.

About the benefits of persimmon, Dr Qazi Ikramullah said that it had essential nutrients, both soluble and insoluble fibers, besides good ratio of antioxidant that protected people from cancer causing free radicals. He said that persimmon was a nutritive fruit having good quantity of vitamins and minerals.

Published in Dawn November 21st, 2016