Cultivation of seedless oranges advised

Expert touts the measure as a way of earning foreign exchange

MULTAN:

An agriculture expert advocated for the mass cultivation of seedless citrus fruits, in order to ensure an exportable surplus that can bring dollars to Pakistan via exports.

Director Agriculture Information Punjab Dr Muhammad Rafiq Akhtar stressed new varieties of seedless oranges should be prepared in bulk and provided to farmers at lower prices. He expected this to improve the financial situation of farmers and bring in much-needed foreign exchange through orange exports.

Seedless oranges emerged in Pakistan’s agricultural landscape after natural mutations were observed and tested. Over many years, the fruit’s potential was analyzed by scientists from the Citrus Research Institute (CRI) Sargodha, which operated under the umbrella of the Ayub Agriculture Research Institute (AARI) in Faisalabad.

The period between February and March is considered the best for cultivating seedless oranges, Dr Rafiq said, in an advisory detailing technicalities in the preparation of seedless citrus plants. Seedless oranges are only available at limited locations and in very low numbers in Punjab, he added, asking farmers to exercise caution in selecting grafting wood for their citrus orchards. Farmers could also consult AARI and CRI scientists for assistance.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2023.a