Extending support: Speakers emphasise need to increase mango productivity

Urge private sector to invest in agricultural sector

MULTAN: In a bid to support mango growers and increase production, a seminar was held at Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture, Multan on Monday.

The seminar was held in collaboration with Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture, Mango Research Institute, Multan, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, International Centre for Development and Decent work and Government of Punjab.

The main objective of the seminar was to support the mango growers by giving solutions of the problems that they had to face in growing mangoes.



On the occasion, guest speaker Haji Muhammad Sadiq Araeen, a mango historian, said he had been working for a long time to develop new varieties of mango. He urged to share his life long experience to support the mango growers through the platform of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture. He also emphasised to get rid of wooden crates for packaging of mangoes and to initiate cardboard box packaging culture in the country.

Prof. Matofari Joseph from Egerton University, Kenya said, “Mango is the third major fruit crop of Kenya after banana and pineapple.” He added, “The major mango harvesting months in Kenya are November and December, while the mango season in Pakistan is finished by then.” He highlighted the possibility of starting mutual mango fruit trade to cater the markets of both countries after the end of the mango season.

“Pakistani people could enjoy Kenyan mangoes in winter through imports from Kenya and other countries,” he maintained.

Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture Vice-Chancellor Asif Ali  said the varsity was ready to improve the mango industry in Pakistan and to extend its technical support to enhance mango fruit exports.

He added the Kisan package worth Rs100 billion which was announced by the government was an appreciable initiative to support farming community. “The private sector has to come forward to invest in agricultural sector. Moreover entrepreneurial thinking is required to bring up with some new innovations in the mango industry,” he pointed out.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2016.