Topic
cherries
Commodities Gene-Edited Seedless Blackberries and Cherries Vie to Reinvent Global Agriculture
Pairwise, a North Carolina startup, is using Crispr gene editing to develop seedless, thornless, higher-yielding blackberry plants, according to WIRED. The company has received more than 50 regulatory approvals for five edited crops in nine countries, but only one product for sale: a blackberry variety in Colombia. Analysts remain reluctant to predict success amid consumer backlash risks.
Commodities High-density exotic cherry varieties transform Kashmir orchards, fetch premium prices
Kashmir's cherry growers in Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Shopian are shifting to high-density exotic varieties such as Regina and Kordia, fetching ₹400-500 per kg—a premium over traditional varieties. Government initiatives like the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme and the Cherry Cluster Development Project support this transition, aiming to add 4,000 metric tonnes to annual production and benefit 4,000 growers.