Spuds: Exports stand at 0.12m tons in 3 months

LAHORE: About 120,000 tons of potatoes have been exported to different countries including Russia, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the Maldives in the last three months, said Punjab Agriculture Minister Farrukh Javed. In a statement, he said due to a bumper yield in the province this year, it had been decided that the potato produce would be exported on a massive scale. “We, in cooperation with the federal government, contacted farmers and exporters and they have responded positively.” The minister said the farmers were devoted and hardworking and the government was taking various steps to create an environment where they might earn good profits. “Potato has been cultivated over 400,000 acres of land this year, which is 3.5% higher than last year and keeping in view the average production of the last five years at 3.36 million tons (95%) in Punjab, there would still be a surplus of 0.3 million tons in the province which should be exported,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2016.

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