With the highest number of people growing strawberries, Gassu is famously known as the ‘Strawberry Village’ of Jammu and Kashmir. Here, farmers grow tons of exotic berries on hundreds of acres of land every year. It is also the first one to produce strawberries in the entire Kashmir valley. Women, as well as children, are also involved in the strawberry business in this village. This year farmers are expecting good returns.
A Horticulture Development Officer from the Shalimar area said: “Strawberry is our first harvest crop and its harvesting has been going on for the last one month. There are many pickings in this fruit and at present, a third picking is going on. As summer came earlier this year, the harvesting season of strawberries also came earlier.”
While talking about the benefit of the early harvest of strawberries, she said, “Due to early harvesting, this is the only this crop available in the market at present, so we are getting good prices for it. Though in a few areas, the crop was damaged due to hailstorms but the rest of the fruit is being sold at good rates.”
Source: theprint.in