TDAP prioritising value addition in fruits

Cold storages will be established in G-B to increase shelf life of fruits

ISLAMABAD: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) is focusing on value addition and enhancement of the supply chain for promoting agricultural trade and increasing exports, a senior official of the commerce ministry said on Monday.

“We are committed to promoting and branding of fruits from Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), Swat and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and value addition of dates from south Punjab and Sindh for the facilitation of growers and traders,” the official said while talking to APP.



The ministry will also establish cold storages in Gilgit-Baltistan and Swat for increasing the shelf life of apricots, peaches and persimmon.

“We have organised exhibitions involving diplomats and international organisations for the promotion of fruits of Swat and G-B.”

The official said TDAP was working with international organisations including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) Centre for the Promotion of Imports (CPI) in developing countries for branding and enhancing value addition in agro-trade in these areas.

“We will also hold awareness seminars on apricots, peaches and persimmon for local farmers to help them adopt sound agriculture practices,” he said, adding TDAP was collaborating with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) for infrastructure development in agricultural areas.

Replying to a question, he said the ministry was going to set up a research centre in collaboration with Unido for training and enhancing the staff capacity.



He said TDAP would organise a dates’ festival in Islamabad on September 18 and will invite diplomats and international organisations. The commerce ministry will also organise a multinational conference for Central Asian countries to promote intra-regional trade.

The official said the ministry had plans to create an international institute for supporting innovation and value addition in leather and gems and jewellery industries in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2017.

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