‘Need to understand importance of horticulture’

KARACHI: Experts says horticulture is a sector of unprecedented economic value as it accounts for 25 percent share in the GDP and over 40 percent to employment.

Pakistan earns over $300 million in foreign exchange annually from export of horticulture production, whereas worldwide horticulture trade stands at more than $80 billion. Therefore, income and exports can be increased significantly by further boosting the area under horticulture across the country.

It´s time that we focus on this sector to strongly push the economy and Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company (PHDEC).

The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Standing Committee´s former Chairman Ahmad Jawad said PHDEC was running without any direction. He said the designations in the organisation overlapped, regardless of which the commerce minister stated in the National Assembly last month that the Commerce Ministry has established PHDEC to promote exports of fruits.

Up till now, PHDEC utilised Rs560 million, which were granted through the Export Development Fund (EDF) in the form of salaries, TA/DA, renovation of the offices and holding of a few international events. Even today, the financial affairs of the PHDEC were not regularised by the Commerce Ministry. Almost after every quarter, a summary was moved to EDF for the release of the expenses to run the day to day affairs of the company, he said,

Interestingly, the marketing affairs of the horticulture exports are run by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) despite the presence of the PHDEC. Similarly, research in horticulture sector was being conducted by universities and research institutes, while food safety and phytosanitary measures are looked after by the Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MNFSR).

The policies of horticulture sector were given to the provinces after the 18th Amendment, so the question which arises is what role has been left behind for this organisation?

Jawad said that targeted intervention was required for the restructuring of the PHDEC. He agreed that horticulture sector was given to the provinces after the 18th Amendment, but said horticulture exports were controlled by the commerce ministry.

“We have a lot of potential in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan in the form of unique fruits and vegetables, which needs to be tapped for the international markets, apart from Kinnow and mangoes. It´s time the government redefines the role of the PHDEC and give proper mandate to this organisation to establish value chains in KP and Giligit areas, which was ignored in the past in order to increase in horticulture exports,” Jawad added.

He also advised to withdraw the role of marketing for horticulture exports from the TDAP and assigning it to the PHDEC.