If you have ever scoured the fruit market, you would know about the hefty price tag attached to one of the yummiest and healthiest fruits available to humankind—pomegranates.
Pomegranates have been often termed as the “superfood” given their long list of benefits for health.
Despite being very tasty and healthy, the high price often stops people from getting their hands on this fruit. And it is fair to ask, why are pomegranates expensive?
Several reasons hike up the cost of this fruit, including its extensive benefits.
If you want to know the genuine reasons behind the high price tag of this fruit, keep reading to find out why are pomegranates expensive.
Let’s dive in!
Why Are Pomegranates Expensive?
Pomegranate comes in different varieties that range from orange to red hues.
Whatever the color of the pomegranate, the fruit is loaded with health and beauty benefits.
There are tiny, juicy seeds wrapped up in a white fiber-like substance. These are all enclosed in a hard, tough exterior. You can find pomegranate as a raw fruit, as juice, as supplements, and in other food items as well.
The pomegranate plant produces fruit in the fall to the winter season, from September to December.
These fruits have many benefits and use; why are pomegranates expensive, then?
Let’s explore all the reasons in detail!
1. Not Enough Production on the Trees
Pomegranates are a bit different from other plants.
They grow well in warm and dry conditions but produce fruit early in the fall.
However, this fruit production does not happen in one or every year.
You will have to wait 2–5 years for the trees to produce healthy fruit. And there is a requirement of an additional 6–7 months for the fruits on the trees to reach maturity.
The unfortunate thing here is that the pomegranate tree lives for a total of 12–15 years. It takes one-third of the tree’s lifespan to produce one bout of pomegranates.
In one round, a healthy pomegranate produces only 20–25 fruits on one tree, unlike hordes of fruits on apple and orange plants.
A few varieties of pomegranates produce more fruit per tree and make them quickly as well, but these fruits are not that great in taste compared to those that grow on trees with lesser produce.
The rule of thumb is that the fruit tastes full of flavor and juice if the tree produces fewer pomegranates. Some farmers even cut the branches of the trees as they grow to keep production low.
The production is optimally 20–25 pomegranates in a year by one tree that is still young. As the tree grows older, the production of fruit on it may increase to 200 pomegranates or even more.
It takes several years for the tree to bear fruit and a lot of effort, patience, labor, and other resources to grow the pomegranates.
Due to these tough growing conditions, pomegranate fruit is one of the most expensive ones on the list.
2. Pomegranate Is Mainly Imported
Various pomegranates are primarily grown in California, Arizona, Turkey, Morocco, Spain, India, and Israel.
The production in these regions is not enough to fulfill the demand of the population of the whole nation. So, this fruit is imported in high quantities from other countries with better production.
The imported fruit adds costs on top of the regular price.
During the process of importing the fruit, there is the shipping cost, packaging, warehousing and storage cost, taxes, labor cost, and other markups that must be paid. All of these combined, increase the price of pomegranate significantly.
The importing process is one of the main factors for the high price of pomegranates.
3. Specific Growing Conditions
While there are not many conditions you need to fulfill for growing the pomegranate fruit, there is a requirement for specific climatic environments.
Pomegranates mostly grow well only in warm areas with high temperatures and direct, bright sunlight. Some varieties can grow even in colder regions, too, but most need sun and warmth.
These precise weather requirements mean that pomegranates cannot grow in many locations—there are only a few that provide these conditions for the best growth of this fruit.
That means there will be lower production annually, and most of the fruit will have to be imported from warmer countries like India and the Middle East.
The growing conditions and climatic conditions are other reasons for the hefty price tag on pomegranates.
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4. Superfood Qualities
Pomegranate has always been known for its long list of health and beauty benefits.
- The seed oil from this fruit is constantly used in cosmetic products.
- Pomegranate is filled with minerals and nutrients. You can benefit from consuming it raw, taking it as juice, or mixing it with other dishes like salads.
- Pomegranates have antioxidants that supply considerable benefits to the body.
- The fruit is good for heart health, brain health, memory loss, blood pressure, and more.
- It gives you strength and improves the structure of your teeth.
- This blood-red fruit has also been known to help prevent cancer and improve the health of patients with diabetes.
- Vitamin C and the anti-inflammatory properties in pomegranate regulate the digestive system and help fight infections naturally.
- Eating this fruit is also great for your skin, nails, and hair.
Given how beneficial pomegranates are for the human body, there is no surprise at the rising demand for this fruit.
However, the supply remains to be dealt with, and this imbalance in demand and supply has increased the prices of pomegranates.
That’s all!
Conclusion!
I hope I have clarified why are pomegranates expensive.
Pomegranate is a beautiful, beneficial, but rare fruit. The exclusivity of this fruit comes from several factors, including the tough growing conditions needed for this tree and the low production given by the plant.
A lot of money is spent on importing it, which further adds to the price.
Moreover, its fantastic benefits have created a lopsided demand and supply.
There is more demand than supply which has made it an expensive fruit. If you can provide the conditions, you might be able to grow it at home with some patience. Pomegranates are definitely worth the effort.
Regards,
Happy planting!