Oranges that are called nature’s candy
Mouth wateringly delicious with a mild honey-like taste, oranges produced in Dir Upper and Lower, formerly known as the princely state of Dir, are definitely a treat for your taste buds.
The orange season starts in late November each year and continues well into the summers till April.
Oranges from the early harvest are sold at Rs1,800 per 100 pieces but the late harvest could fetch rates as high as Rs5,000 per 100 fruits.
As all good things come in small packages, Dir’s oranges are not famous for their quantity but rather outstanding quality.
In the past the fruit was grown on a large scale in Dir but with the passage of time, lands are shrinking in size due to population outburst and fruit orchards are gradually being replaced with more profitable shopping malls.
It has reduced the production of this fruit to an extent that shop keepers sell oranges brought from Punjab in the name of Rabat oranges.
Rabat is a village in Lower Dir traditionally known for the production of superb oranges and its fame also encourage shop keepers to sell counterfeits.
“Orchards are usually sold to buyers who use it to mint coins. They bring oranges from Punjab, pile it outside the orchards and sell them to locals as well as tourists,” said a local resident Afsar Khan, adding that in the past orange was a popular winter fruit and part of local diet but nowadays it was not the case as all fruits were available on the market.
“Locally grown orange is a natural candy while the Punjab varieties have good colour but lack the taste,” he added.
A shopkeeper Tariq said that he lease orange orchards each year and then sell the fruit at his shop.
“It is commonly believed that the trees which get more sun rays produce better fruits. People buy from my shop, eat it here and take it with them. Our fruits are sent abroad as gift,” he maintained.
When contacted Director Agriculture Dir Upper, Pervaz Khan told The Express Tribune that oranges are grown on 300 acres in Ashiri Darra, Gandigar, Barawal and Kohistan in the district.
“This orange is unique in taste due to its organic nature. No pesticide or urea is used by the local farmers. Secondly oranges are best grown in cold and dry climate,” he observed, adding that the fruit has the potential to change the economic landscape of the region if grown on large scale and along scientific lines.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2022.