A for Apple

I’m writing this as I eat an apple – a “Washington apple” to be precise. A few years back, I don’t think I would’ve had the luxury of eating an apple in may! The profusion of these “foreign apples” now makes this possible.

I have been brought up with the belief that apple is a seasonal fruit, and you get it only during July – September, immediately after the mango season. That is still the case with the “Delhi apple”. However, apples from Australia, New Zealand and the US seem to be available all over the year.

Is it a phenomenon of the monsoon? (you may notice that the Delhi apple season coincides with the monsoons) Is it that apple trees need lots of rain to bear fruit, and hence bear fruit throughout hte year in the US and New Zealand where, unlike in North India, rains are not seasonal?

Or is it that trees are seasonal – something like each tree bears fruit on its birthday (ok i’m exaggerating here, but using it to clarify my point)? And that the american nad NZ farmers have taken care to plant trees around the year? And this might not be possible in india due to the rain situation?

Or, it it the case of better preservation and storage? Is it that the trees in US and NZ are also seasonal, but just that the fruits are preserved better, and hence available throughout hte year? If that is the case, there is both a worry and an opprotunity for Indian apple farmers. If it is possible to store apples in good condition thorughout the year, then such facilities must be brought in to India. If we can cut wastage, and if we increase area under apple cultivation (ok the latter is a really long term thing), couldn’t the apple growing industry in India do so much better?

All said and done, the Delhi apple is far superior to all other varieties when it comes to taste. Or maybe it is that since I’ve grown up eating the Delhi apple, the taste of “apple” i have grown up with is that of the Delhi apple and hence don’t really accept other varieties. Waiting for the Delhi apple season to begin. Till then, I guess I should better stick to mangoes.

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