Almond Tree

   Almond is a tree in the Middle East. Almonds are a kind of nuts.In Sanskrit, it is called Vatad, Vatavari etc., almonds in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and Bangla, Badam Shori in Persian, Badam talkh, Almond in English and Amygdrelus communis in Latin.In Ayurveda it has been described as beneficial for intelligence and nerves.  In India, it is considered the state tree of Kashmir. One ounce (24 grams) of almonds contains 180 calories, which is why it provides energy to the body. But eating too much can also give obesity.  Of this, 4 percent of the total calories contained are from fat, the rest comes from carbohydrates and protein.  Its glycemic load is zero.  

   It contains very little carbohydrate.For this reason, diabetics can also take cakes or biscuits made from almonds.  There are three types of fat in almonds: single unsaturated fatty acids and multi-unsaturated fatty acids. It is a beneficial fat, which reduces cholesterol in the body and also reduces the risk of heart diseases. Apart from this, another type is omega-3 fatty acid.It is also healthy.  It contains very little saturated fatty acids and no cholesterol.Fiber or dietary fiber, it helps in digestion and also helps in avoiding heart diseases, and keeps the stomach full for a long time.  Due to this, it is beneficial for constipation patients.  Not having sodium in almonds is also beneficial for high blood pressure patients.Apart from these, there are also potassium, vitamin E, iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus.

Tree introduction:

   Although almond is a nuts, but in technical terms it is the seed of the fruit of the almond tree. The almond tree is a medium-sized tree and bears fragrant flowers of pink and white color. These trees are found in abundance in mountainous areas. Its stems are thick. Its leaves are long, broad and soft. The mingi inside its fruit is called almond. Almond trees are found in abundance in places like Iran, Iraq, Maize, Medina, Muscat, Shiraz etc. in Asia. Its fruits are botanically known as asphalt and have an outer peel and a seed inside with a hard bark. Almonds are usually obtained without peeling. To remove its seeds, the peel has to be separated. The peeled almonds are ocher or dark yellow. Sweet almonds are the variety that people eat directly or indirectly as a food product. Bitter almonds are slightly shorter and wider than sweet almonds and are mainly used for extracting almond oil and are not used as food because it is somewhat toxic. There are three main global categories of almond use, chocolate confectionery, bakery and snacks.
   The almond tree also looks like a peach and is also grown in a peculiar condition. Almond is the fruit of the peach family. Almond is also mentioned in the history of ancient Bibles and ancient Greece. According to Greek history, it was produced there even in 3000 BC. 100 years later, the ancient Romans took it with them to Italy. He gifted it to his king. After that it reached England via Egypt. Spain and Italy are among the first countries where almonds were counted among the first countries in spite of adverse climate. Before this, people of the world did not know about almonds. From 1800 Middle East till date, its production has increased a lot and it is being grown easily in many adverse places. Various varieties of almonds have also been discovered after 1700, and among them the varieties of almonds exported from California are considered the best.

  Almonds have been grown extensively in countries such as India and Japan in Asia. In India, its usefulness is considered superior only with food, but in Japan it is used as the strongest substitute for calcium in various products made from chocolate and milk. In China it is roasted and eaten in winter and it is considered to be their special gift on New Year's Eve. In Europe, it has been used since historical times on the occasion of marriage and for children it is considered a symbol of happiness and health. Almond paste has been used in breakfast in Germany and is used in bakery products of ice cream. The traditional king's cake made in France in January 2010 was made with a special cream of almonds. It was sold in the market with a gold crown.

World production almonds

  Across the world, the production of almonds on the basis of peels has been 7-8.5 million tonnes in recent years.  It saw a steady increase in crop and production between 2005-09.  Production is forecast to decline in 2009-10 by experts due to unfavorable seasonal conditions.  America is the single largest producer, customer and exporter of sweet almonds, with a 70% share in global almond production.  The US state of California accounts for 6% of US production, being the most important producer of sweet almonds.  Nonpareil is the single largest variety planted here.  Its production is 37% of the total yield, followed by Camel (12%), Monterey (10%), Butt / Padre (6%) and Butt (4%).  Blueymond Growers Co-operative is the world's largest almond trader, based in Sacramento, California.

   Blue Dymond is an organization owned by two-thirds of California growers and markets a third of California's crops.  On the basis of peels, the other producing countries are Australia, Turkey, Chile, European Union, China and India, respectively, with production of 24000, 14000, 9500, 7900, 1500 and 1200 tons in the year 2006-07. The annual trade of almonds in the last few years has been around 6.7 lakh tonnes.  The United States, Australia and Chile have been the main exporters, with exports of 60,000, 12,300 and 400 tonnes respectively in the year 2007-08.  The European Union, India, Japan, Canada and Turkey in the year 2008-09 with imports of 200,000 tons, 65,000 tons, 21,000 tons, 19,000 tons and 18,000 tons respectively in the year 2007-08  Have been major importers.  The peak harvesting period of the Californian crop lasts from mid-August to September, with the Australian crop harvesting time being between February and April.