Kashmir’s strawberry harvest was underway May 21, 2024 at the prominent farming village of Gasso in Srinagar. Though this fruit valley in eastern Pakistan looks pleasant at harvest time, it nevertheless promises low yields due to earlier unfavorable weather.
Like in 2023, unpredictable rain and untimely April chill already point to yet another diminished production year in 2024.
According to farmer Daniyal Shafi Mir via WION News on May 22, 2024, untimely rainfall stunted plenty of blossoms.
This is demoralizing for the hamlet of Gasso in the heart of Kashmir valley, whose livelihood revolves around strawberry farming.
Shafi Mir says that villagers wake up at dawn to harvest a crop that they plant with organic fertilizers. He added that this season they are seeking governmental input to avert losses through the provision of a cold storage facility that could help farmers store and later sell their perishable produce outside their territory.
Kashmir’s Strawberry Production
Weather or not, Kashmir’s strawberry season offers an extra source of employment for locals and so they remain largely optimistic.
Srinagar accounted for 321 tonnes of the 350 to 375 tonnes of strawberries that Kashmir produced in 2022.
Gasso village, as the center of production in Srinagar, harvests 2 tonnes of strawberries daily, equal to a thousand 20-kg trays. This phenomenal output owes to the fact that some 1000 families of the village partake in strawberry cultivation.
With around 80 hectares under cultivation (2023), Kashmir as a whole produces up to 400 tonnes of strawberry in a good year.
During the peak harvest, the bloom of the red strawberry fruits here even draws in sightseers from outside Kashmir.
Pakistan Strawberry Statistics
How do strawberries compare with other fruits in terms of cost in Pakistan? Strawberries and other stone fruits cost more than mangoes, bananas and oranges in Pakistan because they are seasonal. The May 2024 wholesale price started at 180 Pakistani rupees ($0.65) per kg and 890 Pakistani rupees ($3.20) a kg at retail.
How much strawberries are produced in Pakistan? In 2022, Pakistan produced 1,478 tonnes of strawberries, higher than 2021’s 1,432 tonnes. What is the production rank of Pakistan in worldwide strawberry production? In 2022, Pakistan was the 66th largest producer of strawberries globally. Which areas grow strawberry in Pakistan? The leading production areas are Punjab, Swat valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir valley. Which are the most popular strawberry cultivars in Pakistan? They include Douglas, Chandler, Toro and Corona varieties.