Improving incomes, productivity: Investment in horticulture stressed

KARACHI: Harvest Tradings Director Ahmad Jawad has said investment in horticulture will offer the best potential for increasing small producer incomes, generate new employment opportunities in production and processing, improve resource productivity and enhance micro-nutrient availability in the market. Speaking at a seminar, he said, “Horticulture is largely unregulated that includes more private-sector actors and received little donor attention in the past. Despite declining productivity growth, Pakistan is among the top 20 global producers in over 48 different agricultural commodities.” The country produces 108 million tons of agricultural commodities each year worth more than $13 billion in which kinnow enjoys a major share. Jawwad, however, added it is unfortunate that kinnow growers, the real stakeholders, are not given the proper price for their produce and every year they are at the mercy of exporters.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd,  2015.

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