For the first time, fresh figs from Purandhar taluka of Pune district have been exported to Europe. The Purandhar Highland Farmer’s Producers Company (FPC) has managed to successfully export the highly perishable fruit, which, till date, has never left the country’s shores.
- The trial shipment consisted of 10 kg of the fruit, which was sourced from the fig orchards of Mayur and Saurabh Lawande from Singhapur village in the taluka.
- Figs from Purandar were granted GI tag in 2016.
About figs
- Fresh figs, while being a rich source of nutrients, are highly perishable; their quality deteriorates within hours of being plucked.
- Originally from Asia Minor (Mediterranean region), the fig is probably the oldest cultivated fruit in the world.
- The figs from Purandar are GI tagged.
- In India fig farming is mostly done in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- The total area under fig cultivation is around 5,600 hectares and about 13,802 tonne of the fruit are produced.
- Poona figs are widely available in the Purandar area.
- The fig season occurs twice a year from May to June and December to January.
- Figs from Saswad, Purandar, stand out for its size, colour, taste and high iron content. It grows on red soil.
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