Pomegranate : India is the world’s largest producer of pomegranates

Pomegranate ( Punica granatum ) :

India is the world’s largest producer of pomegranates

Maharashtra

The total area under cultivation of pomegranate in India is 107.00 thousand ha and production is around 743.00 thousands tons. Maharashtra is the leading producer of pomegranate followed by Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

Pomegranate cultivation in Maharashtra (area, production)

• 1.32 lakh hectare. under pomegranate plantation, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total area under pomegranate cultivation in the country.
• 48,527 ha. Nashik. Production: 6,79,378 tonnes.
• 20,033 ha. Solapur. ...
• 16,113 ha. Ahmednagar. ...
• 12,010 ha. Pune. ...
• 8,308 ha. Dhule. ...
• 7,656 ha. Sangli. ...
• 7,300 ha. Aurangabad.

India is the world’s largest producer of pomegranates

The pomegranate botanical name Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between 5–8 meters (16–26 ft) tall.

Pomegranates are good for you and keep you young

The pomegranate is known as a superfood. Its jewel-like seeds (arils) have been used for medicinal purposes for millennia. Packed with powerful antioxidants and vitamins, this ruby-red fruit has been shown to be a cure-all for just about any ailment. It helps stomach upsets, menopausal hot flashes, hemorrhoids, conjunctivitis, osteoarthritis, lowers blood pressure, stimulates the immune system, wards off the flu, reduces inflammation, reduces risk of heart disease and lowers cholesterol.
“The peel is good for the heart and blood vessels; the white membrane is good for stopping diarrhea and good for wounds and ulcers of the mouth and throat. The fruit also strengthens the brain, cleanses the body and blood from toxins, and is very good at expelling worms from the intestines,”

Worldwide Production

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 fruit crop. At present good-quality pomegranates come from Turkey, Iran, Morocco, Afghanistan, and Spain.

India - Unique varieties & Current Pomegranate production growing in India

The Indian pomegranate production is growing by 20 to 25% every year. Demand is on the rise, both at domestic level and in the export market. India is the only country able to deliver pomegranates all year round thanks to its climate. The best-known variety in India is the Bhagwa, a huge sweet variety of really good quality. India is a big player and exports to destinations in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The country is also expecting to enter the U.S. market. India competes with various players in the world, but it manages to stand out with unique varieties. The trend in India is convenience; pomegranates are widely appreciated and the seeds are really popular amongst consumers.
The country's main variety is the Bhagwa ,as a good-eating variety that has a balanced sugar and acid ratio, which gives the fruit a sweet taste as well as a long shelf life. The Bhagwa makes up the majority of fruit exported and consumed domestically. On the export front, Europe, the Middle East and Asia are the target markets, though the U.S. has been of interest to the country's exporters.
Due to year-round production, exports compete with several other countries on the world market, including the U.S., Israel, Turkey, Iran, Peru and South Africa. Despite this competition, the unique characteristics of the Bhagwa variety has allowed the country's suppliers to carve out a good niche on the world stage.

“The trend in the market is towards pomegranate arils as it is a value-added product and consumers appreciate the convenience of a ready-to-eat product.