Wine lovers, are you ready to enjoy Barhi dates wine

Source: Dinesh Valke Flicker

Gujarat's Kutch district is known for its the White Desert,  handicraft and hospitality.  But, very few people know that the farmers of this region have adopted the scientific tissue culture method to produce different types of fruit crops. Products like alphonso mango, pomegranate and date palm ( Kharek)  are becoming famous all over the world.

Originally from Iraq, the Barhi date (Kharek) is grown in nearly 1,800 acres in Kutch. This date variety is very popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and London.

As per Chhabil Patel, who has large date farms in Kutch, the trickiest part about cultivating dates is the harvest time, there have been times when farmers like me have had to suffer big losses because of the rains.

Source: Sanjay Upadhyay

Farmers are experimenting to make different products from date fruit(Kharek) like  stuffed date, sweets, juice, pulp, jelley etc.  to minimise losses.

Source: Surabhi Vasa

To minimise losses, Singh decided to experiment with wine-making. Speaking with SBS Gujarati Radio, Ranjit Singh says, "I have a 40-acre farm where I grew dates(Kharek) for seven years. I had to suffer massive loss due to rain for two-three years. On the other hand,  in many parts of India people do not know what date fruit(Kharek) was so I could not sell them. This fruit comes during summer, and it has a short season so even in local market I could not get a reasonable price. So I decided to make wine.  This fruit has a high amount of sugar that makes the process easier. "

"I have a 40-acre farm where I grew dates for seven years. I had to suffer massive loss due to rain for two-three years. On the other hand, in many parts of India people do not know what date fruit was so I could not sell them. This fruit comes during summer, and it has a short season so even in local market I could not get a reasonable price. So I decided to make wine. This fruit has a high amount of sugar that makes the process easier. "

To make wine from date is easy. First, keep date pulp in a container until it is fermented. this process may take two months of time.  Then make juice of out of this fermented pulp, and this product is known as wine. It looks and tastes like salty date juices. It has a nutritional value. This wine can be used as a remedy for constipation or maigrain.

Ranjit Singh had sent his date wine to the experts at Nashik, for feedback and understood the pulse of the people before opening a winery in Rajasthan. Ranjit Singh has signed MoU with Rajasthan Government. He is also experimenting to produce wine from other fruits.

About a few years ago, a few other farmers like Chhabil Patel, Gopal Gorasiya and others had announced similar plans for a Barhi date winery at a special economic zone in Gujarat itself, but they were unsuccessful.

To support date farmers, Gujarat Government has started Center for excellence of date palm in Kukma.