First-ever ginger harvest inaugurated in Pakistan

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Senator Dr Sania Nishtar on Sunday inaugurated the first-ever ginger cultivation during the Ginger Harvest Workshop held in the Balkasar area of Chakwal, Punjab.

This was the first ginger harvest piloted in Pakistan. The crop was grown in 11 months. Being an essential ingredient of Pakistani cuisine, ginger is high in demand but unfortunately, it is not grown here, and all the crop is imported to meet domestic needs.

At the event, participants learnt from experts about the sustainable production and management of ginger and how to properly harvest the crop.

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Speaking on the occasion, Dr Sania said: “Ginger can emerge as a major crop and can be a game-changer for the farming community. Agriculture is profoundly linked to poverty alleviation in Pakistan. Government, private sector, research institutions, innovators and farmers can work together to build synergies and develop agri-value chains. This will lead to greater impact for poverty alleviation, livelihoods creation, economic growth and foreign trade boosting.”

Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Director Vegetable Research Institute, Faisalabad Muhammad Najeebullah and other experts were also present on the occasion.

Participants were provided with information on how to successfully grow and harvest ginger in the country.

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Experts presented research-based information about the agricultural benefits of growing ginger locally.

After knowledge-sharing, all participants went to the field for the formal inauguration and demonstrations.

Chairman PARC briefed Dr Sania on the success of the ginger cultivation project and its potential to boost Pakistan’s farming sector. “This variety of ginger has been successfully grown and field-tested and can yield up to approximately 8 to 10 tonnes per acre in this area," he said.

With help of drip irrigation, sprinklers and shading fabric, it is the first ginger farming project that turned out commercially successful.