The city of Nagpur in the Indian state of Maharashtra is also referred to as "Orange City", and no, that is not because major buildings in Nagpur are orange in colour. After Mumbai and Pune, Nagpur is the third-largest city in Maharashtra. The "Tiger Capital" of India is another name for Nagpur, but since the 'oranges' grown here are so well-known, the city is also known as the "city of oranges".
Nagpur And Oranges: An Unbreakable Bond
We are all aware that India is a country with a wide range of cuisine, religions and culture. There are specific farming practices that are best suited to particular regions, as per their climate. Nagpur is as popular for its oranges, as Shimla for apples, Mahabaleshwar for strawberries, Prayagraj for guava, Goa for cashew nuts, and Ratnagiri for Alphonso mangoes.
The Nagpur district is home to several hectares of orange farms and plantations. When compared to other Indian cities, this region is by far the biggest orange cultivator. While the majority of farming is done in the surrounding region of Vidharba, where 80,000 or so hectares of land are employed for the activity. Only 20, 965 hectares of land are used for orange production in Nagpur, which is more of a commercial hub. About 5 lakh tonnes of oranges are produced each year.
As noted previously, it is the character of the soil and the climatic condition of the location which dictates what type of farming is acceptable there. The temperature in Nagpur is often hot, making it ideal for growing oranges.
History Of Oranges In Nagpur
Exploring the lovely orange farms, which are full of trees with juicy oranges, is really interesting. However, the origin story of Nagpur orange farming in this area is more fascinating. Nagpur orange was successfully tried as a kitchen garden plant for the first time by Late Shri Raghujiraje Bhonsle in 1896. Since that time, orange production has grown steadily each year, becoming one of the most lucrative prospective foreign exchange-earning crops in this area. After mango and banana, Nagpur oranges are one of the national horticultural crops.
What’s So Unique About Nagpur Oranges?
Because of its sweetness and juicy pulp, Nagpur oranges, a kind of orange grown in Nagpur, are quite well-known in India and outside of India. These oranges set themselves apart from other orange types with their unique scent and distinctive flavour. The typical variety of orange that is frequently grown in Nagpur is the mandarin orange, sometimes referred to as mandarin or mandarine. Due to its sweet-sour enticing taste and readily peelable rind, the Nagpur mandarin is the most popular fruit among all varieties of oranges in India. In the Maharashtra districts of Nagpur, Amravati, and Wardha, some of the best Mandarins are grown. This group of Mandarins includes the loose jacketed orange variety known as Nagpur Santra. In the Satpura Hills of the Vidharba district, Nagpur Santra is frequently grown.
In 2014, Nagpur Oranges received the GI designation due to its sweet-sour flavour. Only under the unique soil and agroclimatic conditions of the Vidarbha region is this flavour possible.
