Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan’s agriculture has tremendous potential but lacks processing and packaging industry for the forward linkages with national and global markets.

Agriculture value chain for multiplying the growth of agriculture sector was overlooked, exporters and agro experts opined.

Country has great potential in fruit, vegetable, horticulture and livestock products but it could not be fully realised because of the missing value chains.

Pakistan is fifth largest producer of dates and 10th largest in apples but it does not have the processing industry and forwarding links to the market.

Similarly we failed to brand mango and kinnow despite having immense potential, they said.

Punjab government should create the mechanism to announce official support price of kinnow crop every year, so growers could set up standard rates of their produce.

Punjab produces around 3.1 million tonnes of kinnow every year and in order to strengthen this potent crop further, its need of the hour provincial govt should add kinnow crop in their support price list, like they do in wheat and sugarcane.

Pakistan can enhance more than $500 million foreign exchange from kinnow, apple and dates export subject to formulate proper policy on the lines of Florida and Australian oranges.

Standing Committee on Horticulture and Food Exports Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry emphasised the government should focus on clustered mapping of agriculture sector for enhancing its growth as vibrant rural economy would have significant impact on the overall economy and it would resolve imbalance in rural and urban population.

Infrastructure is needed for the transformation of the agriculture sector was either missing or dysfunctional.

Citrus Research Institute experts were of the view that production of seedless and diseases free kinnow can be enhanced by increasing plants to farmers on regular basis.

In a marked departure from the past practice of selling unripe fruits abroad to grab a larger market share, kinnow exports from Pakistan will get more benefit.

Senior member of All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association said Pakistani kinnow was sold at a price of $7.20 per 10 kilogrammes in foreign markets. However, its price is expected to increase to $8.25.

Traditionally, the kinnow export season starts in November every year and lasts until the first week of March. Major export destinations for Pakistani kinnow include Russia, far eastern countries and six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Iran and Indonesia are also big export markets for Pakistan, but their potential cannot be exploited for various reasons.

England, The Netherlands and Norway are also major buyers of Pakistani kinnow.