Thanamir Apples
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Thanamir apples are small in size, averaging 5 to 7 centimeters in diameter and 3 to 5 centimeters in length, and are variable in shape, mainly with a conical to oblate appearance. The fruits are broad in the center and taper to a narrow base, capped with a thick, elongated, brown-green stem. The skin is semi-thin, smooth, taut, firm, and glossy, covered in prominent pale-yellow lenticels and patches of raised, grey-brown russet in the stem cavity. Thanamir apples have a yellow-green base hue, enveloped in a dark red, burgundy, purple-red, or wine-colored blush. This blush ranges from solid and transparent to striated. Underneath the surface, the white to ivory flesh is dense, aqueous, crisp, and crunchy with a succulent consistency. The flesh oxidizes relatively quickly into shades of brown and encases a small central core filled with tiny black-brown seeds. Thanamir apples emit a faint, subtly sweet aroma when ripe. The fruits are edible raw or cooked and have a mild, sweet, fruity, and tangy taste.
Seasons/Availability
Thanamir apples are generally available during Nagaland’s summer season, which spans from July through September. Red Thanamir apples have a peak harvest in late August and early September.
Current Facts
Thanamir apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are a category of multiple apple varieties grown in northeastern India belonging to the Rosaceae family. Thanamir is a village along the India and Myanmar border primarily known as the community beneath Saramati Peak, the tallest mountain in the state of Nagaland. Apples were introduced to Thanamir in the 1980s and were originally a home garden plant due to the lack of roads connecting to the remote village. In 2009, roads were eventually built into the region, establishing a foundation for trade and tourism. Apples flourished in the village’s climate and quickly became one of the most cultivated crops in the region as a primary source of income. Thanamir is one of India's six apple-producing regions, and the fruits are available for a short time, creating increased demand for the seasonal fruits. Red Thanamir apples are the most well-known type of apple grown in the village. These apples are also known as Saramati apples, a brand name given to the red varieties grown in the region after the 3,826-meter-tall Saramati Peak. Thanamir also grows yellow and green varieties. Apples have become the lifeblood of Thanamir village. The village is one of the only apple-growing regions in the northeastern region of Nagaland, producing crops for fresh and processed goods that are sold locally in the village and exported on a small scale to other parts of India and abroad.
Nutritional Value
Thanamir apples have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Each variety grown within the region will have varying vitamin and mineral content. Red apples, in general, are a source of vitamin C to boost the immune system, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, and manganese to build connective tissues. Apples also provide magnesium to control nerve functions, calcium to support bones and teeth, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and other nutrients, including folate, phosphorus, copper, and zinc.
Applications
Thanamir apples have a mild, sweet, and subtly tangy taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. Red apples are favored within the village for raw consumption when they are in season and are often sliced and eaten out of hand. The fruits are also tossed into salads or chopped into side dishes. Thanamir apples are popularly pressed into juices and fermented to make wine. The juice is consumed as a refreshing beverage and typically has a strong flavor. In addition to fresh purposes, Thanamir apples are steamed or boiled to create purees, syrups, and sauces. They are also cooked and canned for extended use or candied with sugar to create sweet, chewy snacks that are sold in the village as a source of income. Beyond cooking, Thanamir apples are often dried and made into chips as an exportable good. Excess harvests of the fruits are also locally fed to pigs as a natural food source. Thanamir apples pair well with brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Whole, unwashed fruits will keep for several weeks when stored in a cool, dry, and dark location. Despite their storage properties, it is recommended to immediately consume the apples for the best quality and flavor.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Thanamir apples are a favored welcome refreshment for visitors visiting the village. Fresh apple slices, dried fruits, or pressed juice are freely given as a sign of hospitality and are used to promote the community’s apple-centric lifestyle. Production is distinct in Thanamir as the fruits are grown organically in a local method called jhum cultivation. The trees are only watered by natural rainfall and are planted in fertile soil without the use of pesticides. The region’s cool weather and ample sunlight during the growing season also contribute to the sweetness of the fruits. Thanamir village has earned the nickname of the Apple Village in Nagaland, and each year during the harvest season, an apple festival is held to celebrate the promising industry. The first Thanamir Apple Festival was created in 2010 and was spearheaded by missionary Tangit Longkumer in partnership with the Department of Horticulture in Nagaland as a way to increase tourism and bring notoriety to the Apple Village. As a part of the first festival, the government issued graftings of apple trees and established a mandate for each household to plant apple trees to expand production. This widespread initiative contributed to the region’s success in increasing production, and the annual festival encourages growers to showcase their crops. The Thanamir Apple Festival is also a platform for local chefs and shops to make apple-centric dishes, including puree, juices, dried apple snacks, apple wine, pickled apples, apple sauce, and candied apples. These goods are sold at the festival and are exported as a secondary source of income to selling fresh fruits. In 2024, the festival theme was “Apple for Health, Wealth, and Prosperity.” Apples from the first tree planted in Thanamir, also known as the mother tree, were also plucked from the tree to mark the beginning of the festival.
Geography/History
Thanamir apples are native to Thanamir village, a community in the Pungro subdivision of the Kiphire district in Nagaland, India. The village is situated along the border between India and Myanmar in northeastern India and is known for its rugged, mountainous terrain. Apple varieties grown in the village are believed to be descendants of varieties initially introduced from Kashmir in the 1970s. The apple’s story begins in 1976 with a Thanamir village guard named Yongphukhiung, who was training at the 11th Durga Army Company outpost due to conflicts arising between Naga subgroups and Indian soldiers. During this training camp, Yongphukhiung became friends with a soldier from the Gorkha Troop of the Assam Rifles. Yongphukhiung was a skilled hunter and gave the soldier wild boar meat. In appreciation for Yongphukhiung’s gift of meat, the soldier gave him three apples, which were sourced from the Kashmir region. Yongphukhiung extracted the seeds from the fruits and planted them in his garden in Thanamir. Three seedlings sprouted from these seeds in the late 1970s, and by the early 1980s, two of the three trees began bearing fruits. It was noticed that each tree produced distinct and unique fruits from the original apples given, and Yongphukhiung began grafting branches and sharing them with other members of the village to grow in their home gardens. Apple production spread throughout Thanamir, with the fruits evolving and being naturally selected as they were cultivated each year. In the early 2000s, missionary Tangit Longkumer saw the potential in apple cultivation in the village and partnered with the Department of Horticulture in Nagaland to help propagate and expand cultivation. Thanamir apples became known across Nagaland, and in the present day, almost every household in the Thanamir village is growing apples. Thanamir apples are offered domestically in local markets in Thanamir and are also sold to wholesalers throughout Nagaland. The apples are notably sold in Kohima and Dimapur markets and are exported on a small scale to Myanmar and Malaysia. The Thanamir apples featured in the photograph above were sourced through a local roadside vendor in Kohima, the capital city of Nagaland in northeastern India.
