A Sydney resident, Daniel Daher, has cultivated a near world-record pomegranate, weighing 2.519 kg, from a vine originally planted by his late mother. The current Guinness World Record for the heaviest pomegranate is 2.60 kg, set by Zhang Yuanpeng in China, 2017.
Daher attributes the success to "passion, commitment, and consistency," alongside the use of organic fertilizer. The fruit, likened to a small watermelon, surprised friends and family who were skeptical until they saw it. His 96-year-old grandmother, Hawa, expressed pride in the accomplishment.
The tree, a legacy from Daher's mother, Suzanne, maintains a sentimental connection as it continues to bear fruit. Daher remarked, "I reckon she would have been impressed with this one."
A retired commercial pomegranate grower noted that some varieties can produce larger fruits, with an average weight of around 1.2 kg. Despite residing in Sydney, Daher enjoys rural life and activities such as gardening and farming.
The Australian Pomegranate Industry Strategic Plan 2021-2026, released by AgriFutures Australia, identifies pomegranates as an emerging industry with a gross value of production of $10.4 million. They are not listed in the Australian Bureau of Statistics' Value of Agricultural Commodities report or Hort Innovation's Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook.
Pomegranates serve various purposes, including juices, ready-to-eat products, and nutraceuticals. However, Daher plans no culinary use for his fruit, stating, "I'll just take some photos and have it as a holding memory in time."
To view this impressive pomegranate, click here.
Source: Farm Weekly