Other than being rich in resources, Balochistan is also called the Fruit Basket of Pakistan. The province shares 90 percent of the national production of grapes, cherries and almonds. Almost 60 percent of peaches, pomegranates, apricots and around 34 percent apples and 70 percent of dates are exported from Balochistan. A total of 149,726 hectares are covered by fruit crops and nearly 889,490 tonnes of production is successfully achieved every year. Over thousands of tonnes of apples are exported from Balochistan annually and around 80 percent of the quality apples are produced in the province.
Fruit production in Balochistan is dependent on ground water. The province is also well-known for its grape production of different varieties. Mostly the grapes are grown in Quetta, Pishin, Kalat, Zhob, Loralia and other districts. These districts are not only profiting the province, but almost the entire country. Unfortunately, in few years, these districts are facing problems of power shortage. The acute of water, due to frequent power break down the fruits are completely being destroyed.
Experts have estimated that Balochistan’s tremendous yield potential could be promoted by establishing crop specific zones and fruit processing units. Experts believe that the province should be divided into zones for quality fruit production. In the last few years, Balochistan has tremendously developed in fruits farms. So a research is required to efficiently and fully tap fruit export potential of the country’s basket. The private forms related to agri-business from other provinces have shown great interest to invest and set up their business in Balochistan, but they are not being encouraged nor supported by the provincial government or local communities.
Mainly, the apples and dates are the most well-known fruits, and they are exported into other places. Pakistan enjoys robust position in the world apple market because of Balochistan where 80 percent of the apples are produced. It is unfortunate that, despite of getting profits from apple, no treatment plant for their preservation was established by the government in past. This lost is not only harming the country, but in reality, it is harming the small farmers who are totally depended on these things. If the provincial government will work for these fruits then the better management can increase the earning income of the local farmers in Balochistan.
The provincial government should provide cold-storage facilities at the district level. Mainly these facilities are only present in Lahore, Karachi, Multan and other big cities. The other facilities including farm of market road, regular and sustainable supply of electricity for the purpose to enhance production and export of quality fruits.
The best source is micro-irrigation system to cope with water shortage in the fruit growing areas of the province. In last few years, the fruit crops in the areas of northern Balochistan have been suffering from scarcity of water shortage as tube well were not operating fully and other problems were also occurring. If these benefits work will be done by the provincial government then Balochistan will be called the production of gold province of Pakistan. One side, Balochistan is full of natural resources, it is having Gwadar where CPEC is present which is called the future of Pakistan and it is producing some special fruits through which the country earn a huge foreign exchange. Still I am wonder that in spite of providing only profits to Pakistan, the government is neglected Balochistan in all sectors, and not giving importance to the beneficial things.
The writer is a student at Turbat University and can be reached at [email protected]
Published in Daily Times, March 3rd 2019.