Currently, farmers at Uroosa village are harvesting oranges. Orange cultivation started only a few years before, on an experimental basis.
Mohammad Altaf Khan, representative of Uroosa in Uri said his village is fast becoming the orange village of Kashmir: “Currently, most of the people have planted orange trees in their backyard. In the coming years, we hope that the village produces Malta oranges in huge quantity as SKUAST and the horticulture department are providing a helping hand to the farmers.”
Experts said the climate and soil of Uroosa, which is relatively warmer than rest of the Kashmir, are conducive for orange cultivation. A lot of the farmers from the village are planning to switch to this exotic crop. “People here mostly grow maize and the land is utilized for the grazing of animals. Since the climate of our area is conducive for Malta oranges, olives, and lemon, young farmers are trying their hand at the exotic crops,” said one local.
Horticulture Development Officer, Uri, Hamid Ali Khan claims that Uroosa, Chakra and Salamabad have a huge potential to grow citrus fruits. “Last year, we distributed 12000 citrus fruit plants including lemon and oranges to the locals of Uroosa, Salamabad, and Chakra. The locals planted these saplings and we hope to see a variety of citrus fruits growing in Uri in the coming years.”
