Darjeeling Orange Production Expected to Remain Stable Despite Fruit Fall
Department of Food Processing Industries and Horticulture Plans to Convert Fallen Fruit into Value-Added Products
The department of food processing industries and horticulture is planning to create value-added goods from fruits that fall from trees before they ripen, thus this winter's output of the well-known Darjeeling oranges is predicted to be "steady."
Following a sharp fall in output over the previous ten years, field surveys indicate that the orange yield this winter will be stable, according to Debaji Basak, the Darjeeling district food processing and horticulture officer. We are now investigating the feasibility of establishing fruit processing facilities in the highlands.
Department officials said that they had seen about 40% of the fruit falling before it matured.
This 40% of the fruit is the goal that our department is aiming for. In order to fully use the potential of the well-known Darjeeling oranges, we are investigating the possibility of establishing modest units in the hills and concurrently contacting major commercial organizations and trade associations," an official said.
Oranges may be processed to make a variety of value-added products, including juice, jam, jelly, and marmalade.
Despite their smaller size, Darjeeling oranges are regarded as better than Nagpur oranges because they are sweeter, juicier, and more succulent.
But the orange groves in the hills had been suffering from an attack by fruit flies, a fungal ailment called greening, the citrus tristeza virus, and trunk borer disease, which had resulted in a decline in productivity.
Low yields have also been attributed to subpar agricultural techniques.
Department sources state that around 39 metric tons of oranges were produced in the hills last winter.
It is anticipated that the number will not change. The output had fallen to about 29 metric tons a few years before, according to a source.
When production peaked, the hills were utilized to gather around 52 metric tons of oranges.
The department of horticulture in Bengal is also making efforts to cultivate more oranges in the hills. The administration has given orange producers around 45,000 seedlings and knowledge to help them restore the fertility of their soil.
In the hills, oranges are planted over 4,150 hectares of land.
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