Wednesday

pomegranate health benefits

All parts of the fruit, seed, rind, and membrane have been shown to have potential health benefits. One of the most studied constituent of pomegranates is a polyphenol call ellagic acid. Ellagic acid is found in the juice and seed oils. Ellagic acid has anti-cancer and anti-oxidant properties. Other constituents thought to have health benefits are anthocyanins (good for the vessels), vitamin C, gallic acid, catechins, quercetin, rutin, punicic acid, fatty acids and sterols. The seed oil has flavones and flavols with estrogen – like properties. Research regarding pomegranates is impressive because there are 
several good studies describing health benefits in humans, not just laboratory animals. The most impressive human studies addressed prostate cancer, atherosclerosis, coronary artery stenosis and hypertension. Human studies used fresh juice, undiluted and from the entire pomegranate fruit. 

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Saturday

IMPORTANT OF PLASTIC MULCH IN POMEGRANATE

PLANTATION :

Mulching is a Agricultural practices to cover the soil with plastic or straw/wheat dust on the top of the 

soil therefore, to control weed, excessive water evaporation & conserve soil moisture. Both organic & 


inorganic mulching have great benefit for Pomegranate plantation in dry states of India.


Advantages of plastic mulching 

1. It is completely impermeable to water. 

2. It prevents the direct evaporation of moisture from the soil and thus limits the water losses and conserves moisture. 


3. By evaporation suppression, it prevents the rise of water containing salts.


4. Mulch can facilitate fertilizer placement and reduce the loss of plant nutrient through leaching.


5. Mulches can also provide a barrier to soil pathogens 


6. Opaque mulches prevent germination of annual weeds from receiving light


7. Reflective mulches will repel certain insects 


8. Mulches maintain a warm temperature even during nighttime which enables seeds to germinate quickly and for young plants to rapidly establish a strong root growth system. 


9.Synthetic mulches play a major role in soil solanization process. 


10.Mulches develop a microclimatic underside of the sheet, which is higher in carbon-di-oxide due to the higher level of microbial activity. 


11.Under mulch, the soil structure is maintained during cropping period


12. Early germination almost 2-3 days.


13. Better nodulation in crops like Groundnut.


14. Less nematodes population.


15.Water erosion is completely averted since soil is completely covered form bearing 


action of rain drops.


16.When compared to organic mulches, it serves for a longer period. 


Moisture conservation.

To keep Pomegranate plantation field clean therefore, fruit also be clean and growers get good  market  for their fruits 

• Plastic film with its moisture barrier properties does not allow the soil moisture to escape Water that evaporates from the soil surface under mulch film, condenses on the lower surface of the film and falls back as droplets. 

• Thus moisture is preserved for several days and increases the period between two irrigations. 


• The irrigation water or rainfall either moves into the soil thru holes on the mulch around the plant area or through the unmulched area.


Weed control:

• Black plastic film does not allow the sunlight to pass through on to the soil

• Photosynthesis does not take place in the absence of sunlight below black film hence, it arrests weed growth.


Limitations:

• There are costly to use in commercial production when compared to organic mulches.

• Probability of ‘burning’ or ‘scorching’ of the young plants due to high Temperature of black film.


• Difficulty in application of top dressed fertilizer 


•Reptile movement and rodent activities are experienced in some places.


• More runoff


• Environmental pollution


• Difficult in machinery movement


• Can not be used for more than one season using thin mulches


• Weed penetration with thin films


•Toxic to livestock.


Areas of application:

Mulching is mainly employed for 

a. Moisture conservation in rain-fed areas 

b. Reduction of irrigation frequency and water saving in irrigated areas 


c. Soil temperature moderation in greenhouse cultivation 


d. Soil solorisation for control of soil borne diseases


e. Reduce the rain impact, prevent soil erosion and maintain soil structure 


f. In places where high value crops only to be cultivated.


g. In the areas where high water scarcity like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Hariyana, Punjab in India, mulching will give better crop yield as compare to existing method.


Selection of mulch:

The selection of mulches depends upon the ecological situations and primary and secondary aspects of mulching 

Rainy season ………………………………………..Perforated mulch.


Orchard and plantation…………………………………………….Thicker mulch 


Soil solarisation …………………………………………………..Thin transparent film 


Weed control through solarisation ……………………………….Transparent film 


Weed control in cropped land………………………………………….Black film 


Sandy soil ……………………………………………………………………Black film 


Saline soil use …………………………………………………………….Black film


Summer cropped land ………………………………………………………White film 


Insect repellent …………………………………………………………….Silver colour film 


Early germination ……………………………………………………… Thinner film .


Conclusion:

 Selection of mulch in Pomegranate plantation will depend according to Agro- climatic condition 

of a particular zone. We are realized the effect of plastic mulch in stevia, pomegranate, papaya in 


dry state of India. Famers/growers both are benefited for adopting this technique in their field. 


Production as well as cost of cultivation has been minimizing greatly. Weed nutrients uptake 


competition greatly affect the plant growth & crop yield. So, we advice our growers to adopt 


this technique to get better profit and control soil erosion as well as costing of cultivation.



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Introduction



Common Name: Anar
Botanical Name: Punica Granatum
Origin: Iran, Afghanistan, India
The pomegranate tree is native from Himalayas in northern India to the Iran and has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region of Asia, Africa and Europe. An attractive shrub or small tree, to 20 or 30 ft recorded height, the pomegranate is much-branched, more or less spiny, and extremely long-lived. It has a strong tendency to sucker from the base. The leaves are evergreen or deciduous, opposite or in whorls of 5 or 6, short-stemmed, oblong-lanceolate. Showy flowers are home on the branch tips singly or as many as 5 in a cluster. The fruit has a tough, leathery skin or rind, basically yellow more or less overlaid with light or deep pink or rich red. The interior is separated by membranous walls and white spongy tissue (rag) into compartments packed with transparent sacs filled with tart, flavorful, fleshy, juicy, red, pink or whitish pulp (technically the aril). In each sac, there is one white or red, angular, soft or hard seed. The seeds represent about 52% of the weight of the whole fruit. The fruit also was used in many ways as it is today and was featured in Egyptian mythology and art, praised in the Old Testament of the Bible and in the Babylonian Talmud, and it was carried by desert caravans for the sake of its thirst-quenching juice. It traveled to central and southern India from Iran about the first century A.D. and was reported growing in Indonesia in 1416. It has been widely cultivated throughout India and drier parts of Southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa. The most important growing regions are Egypt, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, India, Burma and Saudi Arabia. There are some commercial orchards in Israel on the coastal plain and in the Jordan Valley.
The name "pomegranate" comes from two Latin words for "seeded" and "apple", which makes a lot of sense, given that a pomegranate looks like and apple and is full of seeds. The pomegranate fruit grows on a small tree or shrub. The tree is native to the area of Persia in the Middle East, but it is now grown further abroad, including in California and Arizona. The most promising of these is the Wonderful which is the only pomegranate now being grown commercially in California.
The interior seeds are surrounded by spongy pulp, and the mess of them together makes the pomegranate particularly difficult to work with.
Steeped in history and romance and almost in a class by itself, the pomegranate, Punica granatum L., belongs to the family Punicaceae which includes only one genus and two species, the other one, little-known, being P. protopunica Balf. peculiar to the island of Socotra.


Despite its ancient background, the pomegranate has acquired only a relatively few commonly recognized vernacular names apart from its many regional epithets in India, most of which are variations on the Sanskrit dadimaor dalimand the Persian dulim or dulimaBy the French it is called grenade; by the Spanish, granada (the fruit), granado (the plant); by the Dutch, granaatappeland Germans, granatapfelby the Italians,melogranato, melograno granato, pomo granato, or pomo punico. In Indonesia, it is gangsalanin Thailand, tab timand in Malaya, delimaBrazilians know it as romaromeira or romazeiraThe Quecchi Indian name in Guatemala is granad. The Samoan name is limoniThe generic termPunica, was the Roman name for Carthage from whence the best pomegranates came to Italy.


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BACKGROUND

AREA & PRODUCTION:-
PRODUCTION OF POMGRANATE

Global scenario
At the global level, India is the world’s largest producer of pomegranates, followed by Iran. Other countries like Turkey, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco, Afghanistan, China, Greece, Japan, France, Armenia, Cyprus, Egypt, Italy and Palestine also cultivate this product. At present, good-quality pomegranates come from Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Morocco and Spain.
There is no worldwide information about pomegranate production or sales. The United States Department of Agriculture stopped collecting pomegranate data in 1989. According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, the United States had 599 farms growing pomegranates on 24,517 acres. At the time of the census, only 12,103 acres were bearing production. In 2011, California had an estimated 30,000 acres of pomegranates.

                      

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Add.: J-507, AB, Sarna Dungar Industrial Area JAIPUR (RAJ.) 302012
MOB NO. +91-7597920642, +91 9414246808, +91-9314507433 (Neeraj Bhatnagar)

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Pomgranate variety production

he wonderful variety of Pomegranate is known for its sweet taste, plentiful juice and health benefits that may help with Heart disease, Cancer and problem associated with Aging. It is also the only variety of Pomegranate grown exclusively by Pom Wonderful, the Wonderful Pomegranate thrieves in the hot days and cool nights of central California. We have introduce this variety under Indian conditions and start performing well.
1.               Ganesh: This is a selection from ‘Alandi’ developed by Dr. Cheema at Pune, which has revolutionized cultivation of pomegranate in Maharashtra state. It is a prolific bearer, fruit very large, rind yellowish red, pinkish aril with soft seeds. It is the commercial cultivar of Maharashtra. The average yield ranges from 8-10 kg per tree. This has soft seeds and pinkish flesh with juice of agreeable taste and bears heavily.
                                  
       
2.               Bhagwada: This is a selection from ‘Alandi’ developed by Dr. Cheema at Pune, which has revolutionized cultivation of pomegranate in Maharashtra state. It is a prolific bearer, fruit very large, rind yellowish red, pinkish aril with soft seeds. It is the commercial cultivar of Maharashtra. This has soft seeds and pinkish flesh with juice of agreeable taste and bears heavily. 


  

                                             
                                                 
3.               Phule Arakta: The ‘Arakta’ variety of pomegranate presently under commercial cultivation in various regions of Maharashtra. Pre-released in the year 1989, It has now been released as ‘Phule Arakta’ for its cultivation by the Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri.
The ‘Phule Arakta’ variety of pomegranate is heavy yielder and possesses desirable fruit characters. The fruits are bigger in size, sweet with soft seeds, bold red arils. It also possess glossy, attractive, dark red skin. It is less susceptible to fruit spots and thrips. Hence, the ‘Phule Arakta’ variety is released for the cultivation in pomegranate growing areas of Maharashtra.
Salient features :

·        It fetches better market prices which is two times higher than that of Ganesh.
·        It has heavy demand for export and distant markets, particularly in United Kingdom and Gulf countries etc.
·        it is attractive and smooth peel increasing its cosmetic value and market appearance of the fruits.
·        It is dark red coloured with attractive arils & fruits are suitable for both table and processing purposes.
·        It gives high yield (30-35 kg/tree) in case of better management.
·        Fruits are ready for harvesting within 120-135 days (Early variety)
                          

                               

    4. Mradula:  This variety has all the characters of the Ganesh variety except the arils are dark red in colour. The colour of the arils in 'Ambe' bahar and 'Mrig' bahar is dark red in colour while it is pink during the 'Hasta' bahar. The average fruit weight is 250-300 grams.
                                               

Pomegranates are sometimes found in gardens in Hawaii. The tree was introduced to California by Spanish settlers in 1769. It is grown for its fruit mostly in the dry zones of that state and Arizona. In California, commercial pomegranate cultivation is concentrated in Tulare, Fresno and Kern counties, with small plantings in Imperial and Riverside counties. There were 2,000 acres of bearing trees in these areas in the 1920s. Production declined from lack of demand in the 1930s, but new plantings were made when demand increased in the 1960s.
The species is primarily mild-temperate to subtropical and naturally adapted to regions with cool winters and hot summers, but certain types are grown in home dooryards in tropical areas, such as various islands of the Bahamas and West Indies. In Southern Florida, fruit development is enhanced after a cold winter. Elsewhere in the United States, the pomegranate can be grown outdoors as far north as Washington County, Utah, and Washington, D.C., although it does not fruit in the latter locations. It can be severely injured by temperatures below 12 degrees F. The plant favors a semi-arid climate and is extremely drought-tolerant.
The pomegranate thrives on calcareous, alkaline soil and on deep, acidic loam and a wide range of soils in between these extremes. The pomegranate is both self-pollinated and cross-pollinated by insects. There is very little wind dispersal of pollen.
Pomegranate seeds germinate readily. Even when merely thrown onto the surface of loose soil, the seedlings spring up with vigor. However, to avoid seedling variation, selected cultivars are usually reproduced by means of hardwood cuttings 10 to 20 inches long. Treatment with 50 ppm. indole-butyric acid and planting at a moisture level of 15.95 percent greatly enhances root development and survival. The cuttings are set in beds with one or two buds above the soil for one year and then transplanted to the field. Grafting has never been successful, but branches may be air-layered and suckers from a parent plant can be taken up and transplanted.
Rooted cuttings or seedlings are set out in pre-fertilized pits 2 feet deep and wide and are spaced 12 to 18 feet apart, depending on the fertility of the soil. Initially, the plants are cut back to 24 to 30 inches in height, and after they branch out, the lower branches are pruned to provide a clear main stem. Because fruits are borne only at the tips of new growth, it is recommended that, for the first three years, the branches be judiciously shortened annually to encourage the maximum number of new shoots on all sides, prevent straggly development and achieve a strong, well-framed plant. After the third year, only suckers and dead branches are removed. For good fruit production, the plant must be irrigated. In California, irrigation water is supplied by overhead sprinklers, which also provide frost protection during cold spells. The pomegranate may begin to bear in one year after planting, but two and a half to three years is more common.
The fruits ripen six to seven months after flowering. In California, maturity has been equated with 1.8 percent titratable acidity (TA) and SSC of 17 percent or more. The fruit cannot be ripened off the tree even with ethylene treatment. Growers generally consider the fruit ready for harvest if it makes a metallic sound when tapped. The fruit must be picked before over maturity, when it tends to crack open if rained on or under certain conditions of atmospheric humidity, dehydration by winds or insufficient irrigation. Splitting is the natural means of seed release and dispersal.
The fruits should not be pulled off but clipped close to the base, leaving no stem to cause damage in handling and shipping. Appearance is important, especially in the United States, where pomegranates may be purchased primarily to enhance table arrangements and other fall (harvest-time) decorations. Too much sun exposure causes sunscald–brown, russeted blemishes and roughening of the rindThe fruit ships well, cushioned with paper or straw, in wooden crates or, for nearby markets, in baskets. Commercial California growers grade the fruits into eight sizes; pack in layers, unwrapped but topped with shredded plastic, in covered wood boxes; precool rapidly; and ship in refrigerated trucks.
The pomegranate is equal to the apple in having a long storage life. It is best maintained at a temperature of 32 degrees to 41 degrees F. The fruits improve in storage, become juicier and more flavorful; may be kept for a period of 7 months within this temperature range and at 80 to 85 percent relative humidity, without shrinking or spoiling. At 95 percent relative humidity, the fruit can be kept only two months at 41 degrees F but for longer periods at 50 degrees F. After prolonged storage, internal breakdown is evidenced by faded, streaky pulp of flat flavor.
According to the Pomegranate Council, fresh pomegranates are available from September through January. Concentrate is available throughout the year.
Pomegranates in India
In India, Maharashtra is the leading producer of pomegranates followed by Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
To a smaller extent, it is also grown in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. It is cultivated commercially in Sholapur, Sangli, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Pune, Dhule, Aurangabad, Satara, Osmanabad and Latur districts of Maharashtra, while in Karnataka it is cultivated in Bijapur, Belgaum and Bagalkot districts. Sholapur is famous for juicy pomegranate fruit which is locally known as Anar.
The total area under cultivation of this crop in India in 2009-10 was 127.8 thousand hectares with production of 828.9 thousand tonnes. From Table I it is clear that Maharashtra has about 78 per cent share of the total area under cultivation and 67 per cent share in total production.GaneshMridula, Ruby, Arakta and Bhagwa are some of theimportant varieties of pomegranate grown in India.

As a commercial crop pomegranate is grown to a limited extent in selected locations in many states.  The estimated area under pomegranate in India is about 25000 ha. with Maharashtra accounting for more than two third area, while other states like AP,MP,UP, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu share the rest.

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DESCRIPTION OF POMGRANATE PLANT

An attractive shrub or small tree, to 20 or 30 ft (6 or 10 m) high, the pomegranate is much-branched, more or less spiny, and extremely long-lived, some specimens at Versailles known to have survived two centuries. It has a strong tendency to sucker from the base. The leaves are evergreen or deciduous, opposite or in whorls of 5 or 6, short-stemmed, oblong-lanceolate, 3/8 to 4 in (1-10 cm) long, leathery. Showy flowers are home on the branch tips singly or as many as 5 in a cluster. They are 1 1/4 in (3 cm) wide and characterized by the thick, tubular, red calyx having 5 to 8 fleshy, pointed sepals forming a vase from which emerge the 3 to 7 crinkled, red, white or variegated petals enclosing the numerous stamens. Nearly round, but crowned at the base by the prominent calyx, the fruit, 2 1/2 to 5 in (6.25-12.5 cm) wide, has a tough, leathery skin or rind, basically yellow more or less overlaid with light or deep pink or rich red. The interior is separated by membranous walls and white spongy tissue (rag) into compartments packed with transparent sacs filled with tart, flavorful, fleshy, juicy, red, pink or whitish pulp (technically the aril). In each sac, there is one white or red, angular, soft or hard seed. The seeds represent about 52% of the weight of the whole fruit.

ACI Agro Solution
ISO 22000-2005,ISO 9001:2008, FSSAI, SSI, Seeds, Spice Board Of India, WHO GMP & NPOP, USDA, SGS organic certified.
Add.: J-507, AB, Sarna Dungar Industrial Area JAIPUR (RAJ.) 302012
MOB NO. +91-7597920642, +91 9414246808, +91-9314507433 (Neeraj Bhatnagar)

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ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION

The pomegranate tree is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region of Asia, Africa and Europe. The fruit was used in many ways as it is today and was featured in Egyptian mythology and art, praised in the Old Testament of the Bible and in the Babylonian Talmud, and it was carried by desert caravans for the sake of its thirst-quenching juice. It traveled to central and southern India from Iran about the first century A.D. and was reported growing in Indonesia in 1416. It has been widely cultivated throughout India and drier parts of Southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa. The most important growing regions are Egypt, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, India, Burma and Saudi Arabia. There are some commercial orchards in Israel on the coastal plain and in the Jordan Valley.
It is rather commonly planted and has become naturalized in Bermuda where it was first recorded in 1621, but only occasionally seen in the Bahamas, West Indies and warm areas of South and Central America. Many people grow it at cool altitudes in the interior of Honduras. In Mexico it is frequently planted, and it is sometimes found in gardens in Hawaii. The tree was introduced in California by Spanish settlers in 1769. It is grown for its fruit mostly in the dry zones of that state and Arizona. In California, commercial pomegranate cultivation is concentrated in Tulare, Fresno and Kern counties, with small plantings in Imperial and Riverside counties. There were 2,000 acres (810 ha) of hearing trees in these areas in the 1920's. Production declined from lack of demand in the 1930's but new plantings were made when demand increased in the 1960's.                              
Pomegranate is a favorite table fruit of tropical and subtropical countries.  The aril around the seeds form the edible part which contains cool refreshing juice. Besides its use as edible fruit, pomegranate also possesses a number of medicinal properties.  The juice is useful in the cure of leprosy, rind of the fruit is useful in curing dysentery and diarrhea.  The colouring matter present in the fruit rind is also used in the synthesis of dyeing material for clothes.  Pomegrante is native of Iran and cultivated in Spain, Morocco, Egypt, Iran, Afganistan, California. In India though a number of states cultivate pomegranate, the main state which has the maximum area is Maharashtra.  Pomegranate is a rich source of carbohydrate (14.5%), protein (1.6%), calcium (10 mg/100g), phosphorus (70mg/ 100g), iron (0.3 mg/100g) and vitamin C (65mg/100g). 


             Pomegranate Producing States in India
STATE/UT'S
POMEGRANATE


Area
Prod.
ANDHRA PRADESH
5.6
56.4
CHHATISHGARH
0.1
0.4
GUJARAT
4.4
45.6
HIMACHAL PRADESH
1.3
0.5
KARNATAKA
13.2
138.5
MAHARASHTRA
98.9
555.5
NAGALAND
0.1
0.3
ORRISA
0.2
0.8
RAJASTHAN
0.8
4.8
TAMIL NADU
0.4
17.5
TOTAL
125
820.3

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ISO 22000-2005,ISO 9001:2008, FSSAI, SSI, Seeds, Spice Board Of India, WHO GMP & NPOP, USDA, SGS organic certified.
Add.: J-507, AB, Sarna Dungar Industrial Area JAIPUR (RAJ.) 302012
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MARKET ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY

 EXPORTS/IMPORTS TRENDS:
             India exports pomegranate mainly to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Netherlands etc.  Varieties which are in demand internationally include Ganesh and Aarakta.  The trend in export of pomegranate.

India: only 50% of pomegranates suitable for export
Tholen - On the European markets, pomegranates from India are very expensive at the moment. The prices are much higher than last year, because there is a shortage on the market. It is suggested that lots of pomegranates are infected with an unknown disease and that because of this only 50% of the total pomegranate production in India is suitable for export. There are coming less pomegranates to Europe and not all pomegranates exported to Europe are allowed on the European market, because they don't match the European standards about pesticides. The increasing knowledge of the consumer about the health benefits of pomegranates has caused a serious increase in the demand for pomegranates and because of this the prices are skyrocketing.


  ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY:
Development of infrastructure facilities for transport to primary markets, standardization of packaging techniques are aspects which need special attention.  Processing facilities also need to be created in the major producing states for value addition.

POMEGRANATE CULTIVATION AND GROWING METHODS
ANNUAL/PERRENIAL PLANT: Perennial
PARTS USED: Fruit and seeds.
SUN REQUIREMENTS:
This fruit grows best in full-sun and warmth, although it can be grown in partial shade. The shrub is also fairly drought tolerant.
HEIGHT:
 A growing Zones 7-10. Grows wild in Northern India, southern Europe and California.
FLOWERING/SEEDING TIME
Yearly flowers and seeds during spring time, after three years of growth.
DRYING METHODS / YIELD:
Best fresh or in extract form.
PRESERVATION / PACKAGING METHODS:
The raw fruit can be preserved and stored for a long time if refrigerated.
ESSENTIAL OIL USE:
Pomegranate oil is very rare and unique. The oil is used mostly for aromatherapy and has an exotic, fruity aroma. It has restorative, antioxidant properties on the skin, and has been shown in laboratory tests to fight both skin and breast cancer.
PLANT CHEMICALS:
High in plant phenols (antioxidants), and the ellagitannins punicalagins and punicalin, as well as gallic and ellagic acids.
CAUTIONS / CONTRAINDICATIONS:
Generally, pomegranate fruit and juice are completely safe, in moderate amounts. Despite the potential health benefits, it would be wise to talk to your healthcare provider if you plan on taking large amounts of the juice or supplements, especially if you have low blood pressure, allergies, are pregnant, or if you are breast-feeding.
DRUG INTERACTIONS:

A 2006 study from the American Journal of Cardiology suggests that pomegranate may interacts with common medications such as heart medication, calcium channel blockers, statins, immunosuppressants and protease inhibitors. For this reason, consult with your doctor before taking supplemental pomegranate.

Pomegranate

Introduction

Common Name: Anar

Botanical Name: Punica Granatum

Origin: Iran, Afghanistan, India

The pomegranate tree is native from Himalayas in northern India to the Iran and has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region of Asia, Africa and Europe. An attractive shrub or small tree, to 20 or 30 ft recorded height, the pomegranate is much-branched, more or less spiny, and extremely long-lived. It has a strong tendency to sucker from the base. The leaves are evergreen or deciduous, opposite or in whorls of 5 or 6, short-stemmed, oblong-lanceolate. Showy flowers are home on the branch tips singly or as many as 5 in a cluster. The fruit has a tough, leathery skin or rind, basically yellow more or less overlaid with light or deep pink or rich red. The interior is separated by membranous walls and white spongy tissue (rag) into compartments packed with transparent sacs filled with tart, flavourful, fleshy, juicy, red, pink or whitish pulp (technically the aril). In each sac, there is one white or red, angular, soft or hard seed. The seeds represent about 52% of the weight of the whole fruit. The fruit also was used in many ways as it is today and was featured in Egyptian mythology and art, praised in the Old Testament of the Bible and in the Babylonian Talmud, and it was carried by desert caravans for the sake of its thirst-quenching juice. It traveled to central and southern India from Iran about the first century A.D. and was reported growing in Indonesia in 1416. It has been widely cultivated throughout India and drier parts of Southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa. The most important growing regions are Egypt, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, India, Burma and Saudi Arabia. There are some commercial orchards in Israel on the coastal plain and in the Jordan Valley.

The name "pomegranate" comes from two Latin words for "seeded" and "apple", which makes a lot of sense, given that a pomegranate looks like and apple and is full of seeds. The pomegranate fruit grows on a small tree or shrub. The tree is native to the area of Persia in the Middle East, but it is now grown further abroad, including in California and Arizona. The most promising of these is the Wonderful which is the only pomegranate now being grown commercially in California.

The interior seeds are surrounded by spongy pulp, and the mess of them together makes the pomegranate particularly difficult to work with.

Steeped in history and romance and almost in a class by itself, the pomegranate, Punica granatum L., belongs to the family Punicaceae which includes only one genus and two species, the other one, little-known, being P. protopunica Balf. peculiar to the island of Socotra.

Despite its ancient background, the pomegranate has acquired only a relatively few commonly recognized vernacular names apart from its many regional epithets in India, most of which are variations on the Sanskrit dadimaor dalim, and the Persian dulim or dulima. By the French it is called grenade; by the Spanish, granada (the fruit), granado (the plant); by the Dutch, granaatappel, and Germans, granatapfel; by the Italians, melogranato, melograno granato, pomo granato, or pomo punico. In Indonesia, it is gangsalan; in Thailand, tab tim; and in Malaya, delima. Brazilians know it as roma, romeira or romazeira. The Quecchi Indian name in Guatemala is granad. The Samoan name is limoni. The generic term, Punica, was the Roman name for Carthage from whence the best pomegranates came to Italy.