Mangoes: Steps taken to improve yields in Multan

Mango orchards in Multan cover 80,000 acres, yet growers get low returns as compared to their counterparts in region

MULTAN: The Food & Vegetable (F&V) Department has initiated high density plantation (HDP) on a trial basis here in south Punjab to improve the quality of mangoes and achieve a fourfold increase in production of the fruit. “Mango orchards in Multan cover 80,000 acres, yet growers get low returns as compared to their counterparts in the region,” Assistant Director F&V Multan Niaz Ahmed has said. He has informed that high density plantation could help farmers earn more and provide a needed impetus to the country’s economy. The official said that the department had launched the project in Multan in Qadirpur Rawan and Chak-5 Faiz. Explaining HDP, he said that under the technique, height of sown plants was restricted to between 6 and 7 feet, and the orchards were watered through a drip irrigation system. He added that it was easier to take care of lower-height plants as compared to 50 feet tall trees.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2012.