Japanese sakura to soon add a dash of pink to Srinagar’s palette
Officials said modalities were being worked out to make the cherry blossom garden a major tourist attraction in the coming years; with almonds, tulips and cherries, Kashmir’s spring will be different for tourists, who had lately been arriving in the Valley in large numbers
With the onset of spring, flowers have started to bloom in Kashmir and if all goes according to the plan, Srinagar will soon have its own cherry blossom garden on the pattern of world-famous Japanese sakura parks.
Officials said modalities were being worked out to make the cherry blossom garden a major tourist attraction in the coming years. With almonds, tulips and cherries, Kashmir’s spring will be different for tourists, who had lately been arriving in the Valley in large numbers.
Last year, over 26 lakh tourists had visited Kashmir, and the arrivals this year are also looking encouraging. February itself saw more than one lakh tourists thronging Kashmir, especially its three known destinations of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg.
Recently, officials of floriculture department, Japanese authorities and the Union ministry of external affairs had held an elaborate meeting in this regard. The plan is to develop the park in the foothills of Zabarwan forest range in the vicinity of the tulip garden.
“The cherry blossom theme garden is a ₹10-crore project, which would be an extension of the existing tulip garden in Srinagar to make it more attractive and magnificent for the visitors. The project is being facilitated by the Union ministry of external affairs,” said a J&K government spokesperson while quoting commissioner secretary, floriculture, Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad.
“There will be a requirement of about 2,500 cherry trees in the first phase, for which certain varieties have been identified that will suit our place,” he added.
“The department will likely be importing plants to ascertain their behaviour and later go for expansion,” the spokesperson said, adding that a three-member team of officers will visit Japan to get a first-hand experience of the plants.
They will make sure that the best plant material is imported for the cherry blossom garden in Srinagar, he said.
According to the spokesperson, Sakai International Interchange Association president Tadashi Nishiyama (Japanese sakura expert) has suggested that the government of Jammu and Kashmir should send them variety wise total number of plant material required for the proposed garden.
“He also assured to provide all possible technical help in developing this garden,” he added.
Kashmir produces four varieties of cherries, of which mishri, makhmali, and double are exported in good numbers and has a significant market base across the country.
Though the blooming of cherry begins in March-April, its harvesting season begins mid-May and lasts up to the first week of July.
As per estimates of J&K’s horticulture department, cherry is being cultivated on around 2,800 hectares, which yields an annual turnover of about ₹130 to ₹150 crore.
Cherry is grown ubiquitously in the Valley, but the major produce comes from central and northern Kashmir.
The UT’s annual production of the stone fruit is around 12,000 to 14,000 metric tonnes, depending upon the weather conditions in the winter and spring.
“It’s a wonderful step. The government is now trying to promote horticulture to attract tourists. We also appeal the government to launch an apple tourism initiative so that tourists can visit orchards during flowering and harvesting,” said Malik Adil who is the chairperson of Apple Farmer Producers Company.
“We are holding an international conference in Kashmir where we will try to explore potential tourism scope via apple industry. Top experts will be part of the conference,” he added.