Pomegranate Garden in Swat Valley | Sherin Zada | Short Documentary | Pomegranate Season in August скачать в хорошем качестве

Pomegranate Garden in Swat Valley | Sherin Zada | Short Documentary | Pomegranate Season in August

The pomegranate is valued for its delicious juice as well as its nutritive and therapeutic qualities. Some like to eat its seeds while others like to drink pomegranate juice. It is believed to have its origins in northern Africa and western Asia from where it spread to other tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It can tolerate extreme temperatures. The tree is bushy, with thorny branches, and grows to a height of five metres with brilliant orange flowers. It can be grown in a variety of soils, but for commercial cultivation well-drained and loamy soil is considered the best. The round, melon-sized fruit is full of many tiny red or white seeds, tightly packed artistically in thin, papery sacs in a brown, hard rind. Wild forms of the pomegranate grown in areas of Swat Valley Hills, being sour, are utilised to make anaar dana, which is used in pulse and vegetable dishes in the subcontinent. Among the Muslim countries, Afghanistan, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States are noted producers and exporters of fresh pomegranates. Other major producers are India, China and USA. In Pakistan, Balochistan is the main producer of pomegranates, although Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Punjab are also producing pomegranates in isolated areas on a small scale. Pomegranate can be propagated from seed, but seed pomegranate fruits are inferior in quality, hence 40m-long cuttings from a one-year old branch of the pomegranate tree and air (another method of propagation) are mostly practised to ensure desired results. The cuttings, after a year of planting, are re-transplanted in orchards and the tree starts bearing fruit in three years. The fruiting comes in full swing within ten years of planting. Dwarf varieties are planted in pots for ornamental purposes rather than for their fruit. Pomegranate fruit has good staying quality and can be kept in cold storage for two to three months without any harm to its quality. Pomegranate juice is a panacea for high blood pressure and cardiac patients. The juice can also fight cancers and prevents many other disorders. The edible parts of pomegranate fruit is 52 per cent of total fruit weight, comprising 78 per cent of juice and 22 per cent seeds. The seeds are a rich source of total lipids, protein, crude fibres, ash, pectins and total sugars. 100 grams of pomegranate juice contains the following nutrients: Energy 346 kg, carbohydrates 18.7 g, sugar 13.7 g, fibre 4.0 g, fat 1.2 g, protein 1.7 g, thiamin 0.07 mg, riboflavin 0.07 mg, niacin 0.29 mg, pantothenic acid 0.38 mg, vitamin B6 0.08 mg, folate 38 µg, vitamin C 10 mg, calcium 10 mg, iron 0.3 mg, magnesium 12 mg, phosphorus 36 mg, potassium 236 mg, zinc 0.35 mg. Pomegranate is rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin C, and folic acid. It is an anti-oxidant, blood thinner, reduces systolic BP and heart related problems. It is believed to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and gives protection to arteries. One glass of pomegranate juice daily is considered ideal to remain in good health. Recent research has shown that pomegranate juice helps to reduce fat around the stomach, risk of stroke, kidney disorders and regulates frequency of urine. Pomegranate has the power to treat jaundice and cough. The juice of the young leaves is styptic and was given to young children suffering from dysentery by grannies. Bark of the trunk expels intestinal worms and also reduces enlarged spleen. The juice is also used to make jellies, beverages and hot and cold sauces for seasoning of cakes. Pomegranate is a fruit with multiple benefits and worthy of our appreciation and is available in the market from September to February. Kandhari or Kabuli seeds are pulpy, juicy and rated as one of the best quality. Pomegranate seeds are sold by street fruit sellers with a lacing of spices to make it tasty. Pomegranate cultivation in Pakistan, due to some favourable pockets in the country, needs encouragement. New germplasm need to be imported from the same climatic regions to fit in our climate. Problems like cracking of the fruit are common and need control measures to increase production at home and export.