‘Imported fruits cause of infection’, NA panel told

ISLAMABAD: The import of fruits is the main cause of spread of infections in the local product, said the Ministry of National Food Security on Thursday.

The Ministry of National Food Security which met the sub-committee of the National Assembly's Special Committee on Agricultural Products at the Parliament House said that the fruits transported from foreign countries were the main cause of spreading diseases at local level.

Food Security Commissioner Dr Waseem apprised the committee that there was no disease in the local product. The main reason behind the spread of diseases was that the imported fruits were infected.

Speaking about the export of kinnow, All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (APFVEA) President Waheed Ahmed said that the total export of citrus around the globe was $14.8 billion but Pakistan only had a contribution of $170 million.

Ahmed said that Pakistan was exporting kinnow to 10 major countries while the production of the fruit was is 2.1 million metric tons.
He told the committee that the export had declined due to the fact that 60-70% citrus had developed infection.

The APFVEA president informed the panel that there are many varieties of kinnow in the world but Pakistan produced only a few.
He suggested elimination of duties for value addition and interest-free loans for the farmers.

“Iran is the second largest market for kinnow export. If it opens, the export of product will increase by 40%,” he said.

Ahmed highlighted that India had also started the production of kinnow, which was a threat to Pakistan.

Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan laid emphasis on research for excelling in the field of agriculture.

“The citrus production in our area is ending. Landlords are producing peaches and leechi,” he said.

Khan lamented that due to lack of agricultural research in Pakistan, the wheat varieties of 2008 and 2013 were being proposed in 2020.

The committee directed the research institutions to play their role in promoting the production of kinnow.

The meeting was also briefed about the production of honey in the country.