Agro-economy: Fruit production stands at 7m tons per annum

If problems in harvesting process are resolved, yield can be doubled.

FAISALABAD: Currently, Pakistan is producing only seven million tons of 41 types of fruits annually which can be doubled by resolving the pre- and post-harvest issues of fruits for exploiting the true production potential and their promotion at national and international level high end markets.

This was stated by the Ayub Agriculture Research Institute Director General Dr Noorul Islam while talking to The Express Tribune here on Friday.

“Fruits are the choicest horticultural commodity due to their colour, flavour, appealing taste and nutritional value. They are a rich source of both major and minor minerals, vitamins and fibre”, he added.

He pointed out that “agro-ecological and edaphic conditions of Punjab’s landscape provide vast opportunities to grow different fruits to enhance farmers’ income”.

“The post harvest losses are experienced more in fruits due to more delicacy, poor harvesting techniques, rough handling, inadequate transportation, meagre supply chain system, poor storage facilities and low utilisation as value added products”, Islam said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2012.