Chilgoza: India's Most Expensive Dry Fruit, Sells for Up to 10,000/kg
Chilgoza: India's Most Expensive Dry Fruit, Sells for Up to 10,000/kg
- •Chilgoza, a rare pine nut from Himachal Pradesh, is India's most expensive dry fruit, costing up to 10,000 rupees per kilogram.
- •It takes 20-25 years for Chilgoza trees to bear fruit, and harvesting involves risky, laborious hand-picking from high Himalayan peaks.
- •Illegal trade and smuggling are causing Chilgoza to disappear from local markets, impacting tribal communities' income and reducing tree numbers.
- •Rich in healthy fats, protein, and antioxidants, Chilgoza is a 'superfood' benefiting heart health, immunity, and skin.
- •Conservation efforts face challenges due to climate change and the difficulty of scientific cultivation, with few saplings surviving.
