Mango Production: Technology imperative to avoid losses

Farmers usually face 40% losses due to unsuitable techniques of harvesting & unsuitable post-harvest handling

MULTAN: Punjab Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture MPA Rana Ijaz Ahmad Noon has advised mango growers to harvest the fruit by employing modern techniques to avoid 40% production losses. Farmers usually face 10 per cent losses due to unsuitable techniques of harvesting and transportation while another 30% loss is caused by unsuitable post-harvest handling including packing, below standard grading, and different stages of sale. Noon said that agriculture field staff has been instructed to guide farmers during all stages from harvest to post harvest handling and they were being monitored. “Punjab produces 77% of the total mango production of Pakistan, however, only 6% of it is exported because of lack of application of modern techniques,” he added. Punjab government has launched a project valued at Rs2 billion to improve supply chain of agriculture produce with a view to add value to and ensure good return to growers.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2014.

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