MULTAN City News

JICA acknowledges Pakistan’s

enormous potential for fruit production

From Our Correspondent

MULTAN: A team of Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA) Friday visited Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture (MNSUA) and acknowledged Pakistan’s enormous potential and opportunities for the production of fruit. The JICA team was led by Japanese Fruit Cultivation/Agro-Product Processing in-charge Yukioj, Community Organization Specialist Ms Megumi Fujita, JICA senior program officer Amir Bukhariand Naveed Shahzad expressed desire to promote date farming in Pakistan particularly Ajwa varieties.

The philosophy behind the date palm farming is the provision of practical information to poor farmers so that they get maximum returns with minimum expenditures. The key focus to the visit was to collect the data and information on agriculture sector in Punjab. Knowledge about fruit cultivation, agro-product processing and animal husbandry for poverty alleviation in the Southern Punjab are also the other objectives of this visit. The varsity’s Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Asif Ali said Southern Punjab is a diverse agricultural hub and the varsity is the only varsity in this dynamic area. University of Agriculture, Faisalabad was launched in order to fulfill the agricultural needs of the area and by the establishment of the said university; there was progressive boost in the agriculture sector. At the present, Faisalabad becomes an industrial city whereas Southern Punjab stills an agriculture zone, he added.

The VC said they aim to build a seed production unit on 250 acres in Khanewal district. Few steps in this regard already have been taken like the formation of South Punjab Agriculture Forum, which include all agriculture research related institutes of the belt like MRI, CRS, CCRI in order to create mutual cooperation for a common cause of benefiting the farming community of the region by extending outreach activities.

The VC briefed the delegation on the production of quality mangoes in the Southern Punjab. He said the area is fertile regarding the mango production especially the mango variety Chaunsa that is pulpy and is significant in production among all the cultivated varieties.

The VC also briefed the delegation on grapes production has been started in the Southern Punjab because the demand of grapes is rising day by day and its production is still far below. The JICA delegation was also informed about the facilities of newly build Multan International Airport and cargo facilities. The Vice Chancellor further added that their fruit industry is facing the problems of packing and quality control. By addressing these issues through proper solutions, post harvest loses, they will be able to export the quality fruits to the different countries.

The MNSUA Dean Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Prof Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad Rajwana, also gave a comprehensive presentation on the mango production in this region.