The 57{+t}{+h}annual fruit show got under way at the Sim’s Park in Coonoor on Saturday.
According to sources, Collector P. Shankar inaugurated the fruit show in the presence of officials and the organisers from the Horticulture Department.
Assistant Director, Horticulture Department, V. Ramsundar said that the concept for this year’s fruit arrangement and decoration was protection of wildlife endemic to The Nilgiris district.
ADVERTISEMENT
In keeping with the theme, the Department had built animal figures with fruits.
The star attraction this year was the seven-foot-tall, nine-foot long and three-foot wide Nilgiris Gaur. The Department had built the animal image using 500 kg grapes.
It had also made figurines of Black Langur, Nilgiri Thar, Sambar and Spotted Deer.
ADVERTISEMENT
To make some of the figurines, the Department had purchased fruits and they included imported fruits as well.
On Sunday, the Department will handover prizes to people who participated in fruit growing, fruit carving, fruit arrangement and a few other competitions. And by Sunday evening, the fruit show will come to a close.
The Department units from other districts have also participated in the fruit show. Notably, the units from Kanyakumari, Theni, Tirunelveli and Tiruchi have displayed fruit-carved exhibits. The Tiruchi unit has displayed a lion figurine made of orange, sathukudi and papaya.
The Theni unit had displayed an elephant made of grapes, says a release from the district administration.
The sources say that as of Saturday evening, around 10,000 people visited the fruit show.
On Sunday, the number is expected to go up.