Northeast link to one of India’s most popular fruit: The Nagpur Orange

Ranjan Kumar Bhagobaty

(rbhagobaty@gmail.com)

The Nagpur Orange, also known as Nagpuri Santra (botanical name: Citrus reticulata Blanco), is a citrus fruit of great commercial importance. Nagpur Orange is cultivated in the Nagpur and Vidharbha regions of Maharashtra and some parts in adjoining regions of Madhya Pradesh in black clay soils under a hot, sub-humid, tropical climate. Nagpur oranges are medium-sized, oblate in shape, with yellowish-green to orange-coloured skin, which is easily peelable, rind thin, fine texture, good flavour, and taste. The pulp is tender, saffron or orange-coloured, with an excellent blend of ugar and acid. Nagpur oranges differ from other oranges due to growth habit, physical-chemical properties, and taste. In its growth habit, the Nagpur Orange is a spreading shrub or a small tree reaching a height of about 7-8m. Nagpur oranges bloom twice in a year. The flush that comes in the month of January-February is called Ambia Bahar (the name is taken from the period when mangoes also have a bloom in January-February in the Vidarbha region). The fruit from Ambia Bahar becomes available in the months of November-December. Because of the lower temperature during the fruit’s maturity period of Ambia Bahar, these fruits are somewhat sour compared to the fruits of Mrig Bahar. Mrig Bahar bloom (named after ‘Mrig Nakshatra’) comes in June-July, and the fruit of this bloom becomes available in the months of February-March.

Based on their unique sweet-sour flavour, Nagpur oranges were given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2014. The unique flavour is obtained only under specific soil and agro-climatic conditions of the Vidarbha region. A GI tag is awarded to products unique to a particular region if it is scientifically proved with evidence that the products concerned acquire the uniqueness only due to the geographical location coupled with traditional knowledge that goes into their making. Around 20,965 hectares of land are used for orange production in Nagpur district, while in the surrounding region of Vidarbha, 80,000 hectares of land are being utilised for orange cultivation. About 5 lakh tonnes of oranges are produced each year, which caters to both domestic and international markets.

Tracing the North-East Connection of the Nagpur Orange (Nagpuri Santra)

Literature searches indicate towards the story of the introduction of a few plants, loose-skinned oranges, by the then ruler of Nagpur, Maharaja Rahuji Bhosle II, from the North-East and Aurangabad to his kitchen garden at Nagpur during the end of the 18th century (1896). The orange plants under the soil and climatic conditions of Nagpur grew very well and produced fruits of excellent quality. Since then, orange cultivation has earned an important place in the agricultural economy of Nagpur and the Vidharbha region.

Another account of the particulars of orange cultivation in Nagpur by the then Assistant Director of Agriculture in 1907 was published in the Agricultural Journal of India and reproduced in the Nagpur District Gazetteer of 1908 (page 140). The source of the few plants of loose-skinned oranges brought to Nagpur by Maharaja Rahuji Bhosle II is mentioned to be from Aurangabad and Sitakol (likely to be present-day Sirakol in the Diamond Harbour subdivision of the South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal).

In the chapter on the ‘Suntara’ Oranges (book The Cultivated Oranges and Lemons of India and Ceylon published in 1890), author Bonavia observes that the Suntara orange is a totally different type of orange from the Portugal type of orange (Malta). Furthermore, the author notes that the ‘Suntara’ type of orange may be indigenous to the northeastern border hills of India. The author, while dedicating a separate chapter to The Keola and Mandarin Group of Oranges, mentions that these varieties of oranges are much allied to the Suntara race. The author identifies the Nagpur orange to be a Santara.

In the research article titled ‘A revision of Assam Citrus by T. Tanaka in 1959, the author mentions, “A study carried out in 1958 in New Delhi revealed a fact that several other mandarins occur in the Assam-Khasia area, like Citrus tangerina, C. crenatifolia, etc.”. Dutta and Bhattacharya gave three Sweet-Santras, i.e., Soh-niamtra, Soh-umkdait, and Naga-santra. Soh-niamtra, with local synonyms of Soh-thiang and Soh-bang used by the Khasis, is typical of the Nagpur Suntara (well representing Citrus reticulata Blanco). Soh-niamtra, with local synonyms of Soh-thiang and Soh-bang, is also locally referred to as Shella orange, Byrnihat Orange, Jatinga Orange, Lushai orange, Karimganj orange, etc., besides the common Khasi orange. As varieties of them, Singh and Singh report Coorg Orange, Desi Variety, and Butwal”.

Author Rainer W. Scora, in his article on the History and Origin of Citrus published in 1975, mentions the following: “The Assam-Burma was the most important resource area. From there, citrus migrated not only to the west but also eastward into China”. The author further suggested that there are three basic biotypes of Citrus, namely Citrus grandis (the pummelo), Citrus medica (the citron), and Citrus reticulata (the mandarin).

Author Emanuel Bonavia in the book ‘The Cultivated Oranges and Lemons of India and Ceylonpublished’ in 1890 (Chapter on Orange and Lemon Trade of India) states the following: “Mr. J.D. Anderson, Officiating Deputy Commissioner of Sibsagar, Upper Assam, further states that this orange is also called sumthira tenga, and that the traffic is carried out first by the barki boats of the hill streams and then by the larger country boats of the beparis, who take them to Dhaka and Goalundo. From the latter place they are, I believe, railed to Calcutta”. Emanuel Bonavia refers to the route of transport of Shalla (Shella) oranges during 1869 via the riverine route of the Shella River (also known as the Umiew and Bagra) to the orange mart in Chhatak town (Sylhet, Bangladesh) and from there on to fruit markets of Calcutta (Kolkata).

It is, therefore, highly likely that the Sweet-Santra, locally known as Soh-niamtra by the Khasis of NE India, made its way to present-day Nagpur from Kolkata (Calcutta/Diamond Harbour area Sirakol) and from Aurangabad during the end of the 18th century and was instrumental in the genesis of the Nagpur Orange (Nagpuri Santra).

The genesis of the unique flavour of the Nagpur Orange (Difference of Cultivation Practices)

Apart from the specific soil and agro-climatic conditions of the Vidarbha region, one key aspect that might have led to the development of the unique flavour of the Nagpuri Santra is the practice of budding used for propagating the orange trees followed in the Nagpur region. Historical accounts reveal that during 1869, Shella orange (Soh-niamtra) plantations in the southern slopes of the Khasi Hills were raised from seeds only, and no grafting or layering was practiced. Whereas, in Nagpur and the Vidarbha region, budding on the stock of Sweet Lemon or lime (Mitha Nimboo (Sherbetee)/Mitha Nemu Tenga/Mitha-Neboo; Botanical Name: Citrus limetta) was commonly practised. The stock on which the bud or graft is inserted may have some influence on it; and so, modify to some extent the flavour of its fruit.

A GI tag is awarded to products unique to a particular region if it is scientifically proved with evidence that the products concerned acquire the uniqueness only due to the geographical location coupled with traditional knowledge that goes into their making. Justifying the need for a special statute to protect products unique to certain regions, the GI Act says: “Each reputation was carefully built up and painstakingly maintained by the masters of that region, combining the best of nature and man, traditionally handed over from one generation to the next for centuries. Gradually, a specific link between the goods and place of production evolved, resulting in the growth of geographical indications”. The Nagpur Orange has evolved to become a unique citrus fruit that is now regarded as one of the world’s best due to its flavour and fruit characteristics. The North-Eastern India link to the origins of the Nagpuri Santra highlights the significance of the importance of India’s North-East as the global origin centre of Citrus. There is, therefore, a continued need to conserve the unique germplasm of commercially important horticultural crops like citrus, bananas, and ginger, among many others of the region, and to develop some of the unique ones into commercial success stories like the Nagpur Orange.

References/Further Readings

Arya S (2016) “The bitter story of Nagpur Orange | Nagpur News. The Times of India. 11 September 2016. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/The-bitter-story-of-Nagpur-Orange/articleshow/54271608.cms

Bhattacharya, S. C., & Dutta, S. (1956). Classification of citrus fruits of Assam.https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.5555/19571604380.

Bonavia E (1890) The Cultivated Oranges and Lemons of India and Ceylon. (W. H. Allen London)

Central Groundwater Board, Ministry of Water Resources, New Delhi Ground Water Information Booklet of East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya ( 2013)

Chauthaiwale O.A. (2021) Reinforcing Nagpur’s identity as ‘ Orange City’ thereby creating a layer of citizen association. Bachelor of Architecture Dissertation Mumbai University, Mumbai Maharastrahttps://issuu.com/aoa_confluence_2022/docs/ojaswi_08_ddbook

Dutta, S.(1958) Origin and history of citrus fruits of Assam: Symposium on Origin, Cytogenetics & Breeding of Tropical Fruits, New Delhi, India, 1-6, December 1958.

Eurokids (2023) Nagpur’s Orange City: The Fruitful Adventures of Citrusy Explorershttps://www.eurokidsindia.com/blog/nagpurs-orange-city-the-fruitful-adventures-of-citrusy-explorers.php

Hodgson, R. W. (1961). Notes and observations on citriculture in India.https://swfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/hlb/database/pdf/00001833.pdf

Lakhan Y ( 2022) Why Is Nagpur Called The ‘Orange City’ Of India?

https://www.slurrp.com/article/why-is-nagpur-called-the-orange-city-of-india-1655983210467

Nagpur-DistrictGazetteer(1908) Russell R.V. edited Central-Provinces-District-Gazetteers-Nagpur-District-Vol-A. Times Press, Bombay.

https://ia601208.us.archive.org/24/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.31332/2015.31332.Central-Provinces-District-Gazetteers-Nagpur-District-Vol-A_text.pdf

Rathod, M. K., & Rathod, V. (2016). Technology adoption its gap and constraints in orange cultivation in Nagpur District. The Indian Research Journal of Extension Education, 16(3), 60-66.https://api.seea.org.in/uploads/pdf/v16311.pdf

Scora, R. W. (1975). On the history and origin of Citrus. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, 369-375.http://citruspages.free.fr/OriginOfCitrus.pdf

Singh, S and Singh D ( 1957) Growing the ever popular Santras. Indian Horticulture 1(4) 9-14

Subramani A (2014)Geographical Indications tag for Nagpur orange, Kannauj perfume.   Chennai News. The Times of India. 26 April 2014.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/geographical-indications-tag-for-nagpur-orange-kannauj-perfume/articleshow/34214019.cms

Tanaka, T. (1959). A Revision of Assam Citrus: Revisio Aurantiacearum XI. Bulletin of the University of Osaka Prefecture. Ser. B, Agriculture and biology, 9, 29-39.https://doi.org/10.24729/00009585.