APP
PESHAWAR
The much awaited famous- Palai oranges, locally known as Palai Malta which fully ripen in December, remains still a great choice for its lovers even in November, providing a refreshing feeling and attracting passersby to take a stop in Malakand district for having relish on their favorite citrus fruit.
Palai- a village situated in Malakand near Thana which is famous for its fruit orchards especially the oranges that undoubtedly have its unique citrus-sweet mouthful juice. Palai oranges- are available till the month of March alongside the Malakand roads.
The area is home to approximately 171,000 fruit-bearing trees; playing a vital role in the purification of the air and acting as a habitat to countless species of both flora and fauna.
Every year as winter settles into Malakand, the district’s famous oranges, Palai Malta, are ripe for the picking. Between December and March, trees are heavy with oranges of all sizes and shades, waiting to be plucked.
Although the district is widely known for its orange orchards, Palai has become synonymous with the fame and glory associated with the fruit. Situated in the midst of high mountains, Palai is said to be suitable for the cultivation of citrus fruit as the soil is rich and well-drained.
Wasim Akram the son of famous Palai Malta businessman, Muhammad Kabeer, residing in Dargai Malakand, says this fruit has given us the name and fame as of high quality it attracts both local and international buyers passing though Malakand,”.”Whenever people visit the area, they take along bags of Palai oranges to offer this exceptional gift to their friends and relatives.”
He said though the oranges of Wartair, a village adjacent to Palai are also one of its kinds but Palai orange has the upper hand with its thin skin and extra juice.
He said we buy orange orchards from the owners keeping in view the amount of fruits in the tree. The oranges reach their prime in December but the early season oranges are also the favorite of many as it has its sweet citrus flavor.
This year he said the orange trees have produced sufficient amounts of fruits adding the price might remain the same as the last year. We sell a bag of 60 oranges up to Rs 550 to 600 based on the size of the fruit.
When asked how the Palai orange gets its extra rich flavor in such harsh and rocky terrain, he said in fact the orchards are being irrigated through tube-well waters which is crystal clear and sweet in flavor and gives extra juice and watery addition to the production.
The oranges irrigated from canal waters do not have the sufficient amount of juice and rich flavor, besides having a thicker skin.
There is also a minimal difference in price in Palai and Wartair oranges, he said adding the people mostly ask for Palai oranges. The number and quality of the Palai oranges could further be upgraded if the issues of infrastructure, dearth of equipment and necessary expertise could be addressed.
Many farmers have repeatedly complained that there are very few experts in the district who can guide them about appropriate strategies to maintain their orchards and get the required amount of fruit, he said.
“Whenever our orchards are attacked by pests and other diseases, we have to travel faraway places to find a cure,” says Waseem Akram. The government should arrange regular programs to train and assist farmers in this regard.
Farmers here also lack modern equipment. Some have even complained about the absence of suitable machinery to grade the fruit and have no choice but to manually perform the task.
He said even though there are many hurdles to productivity, the fruit has not lost its charm. For their part, workers have taken matters into their own hands and ensure oranges reach the market in a good condition.
During harvest season, a large number of farm-hands are seen plucking oranges from trees and grading, packing and transporting them. They know the tricks of the trade like the back of their hands, Wasim said with a smile.
“We grade the oranges by sizes—small, medium and large—and then pack them grade-wise,” he said and informed “A bag of 60 oranges of small size is sold for Rs 550 whereas a bag of 60 medium-sized oranges is sold for Rs 650”.
When asked what the orchards workers do in off season, Waseem said during the three months of the harvest season the workers earn a daily wage however the remaining months are filled with vague expectation and uncertainty.
“After March, the people associated with Malakand oranges business start making trips to Malakand bazaar and other areas to find work as a labourer,” Waseem explains and says “It is sometimes very difficult to find work.”
At this juncture, the government is expected to look towards preserving the demand for Palai Malta. Farmers and workers who put everything on the line to bring sweet and refreshing oranges from the country are also demanding to make a lucrative crop even more valuable through appropriate use of technology and product awareness.
To a question about the future of Palai Malta, Waseem Akram says with hope that an increase in the number of orchards has been witnessed across Malakand villages, besides, he said an expansion in sizes of orchards has also crop up in some areas with 1200 to 1500 orange trees in a single orchard.
With increase of orchards and number of trees, he expected that the business would get an extra boost and the period of availability of Palai orange in the market would get extended.
Sitting in front of his Palai Malta stall Waeem said his family is associated with this business from a time when oranges were transported through camels and till date, he added they were earning livelihood through this sweet product.
To a question, he said mostly the people from the Swat like and know about the Palai Malta and they are the high buyers followed by the people from Dir. Most of our product is sold in Malakand Division as it cannot fulfill the requirement of our national market due to its production in a certain area. Waseem says he also deals with customers who order scores of orange bags to send to foreign countries for their relatives and friends.
If this product is properly promoted and given a push, it would be hard to realize the demand of fruit lovers. However Waseem says attention on part of the government was necessary to enhance its production and supply to national and even international markets. If the same is done, he said people in the country and abroad would know how flavorsome oranges are being produced by our soul.
