Planting area of Chinese peanut varieties to reach 2,000 acres in Pakistan

Islamabad: Planting area of Chinese peanut varieties will reach 2,000 acres in Pakistan. Last month, farmers in Lahore received a special batch of peanut seeds. These seeds originated from Weifang in Shandong Province which is renowned for its high-quality agricultural products.

This batch of seeds is one of the new varieties developed by China-Pakistan Peanut Breeding and Promotion Program. Pakistan's peanut sowing season falls in May. Chinese technicians utilize Internet technology to remotely monitor peanut growth for Pakistani farmers and provide guidance on field management.

In 2016, Shandong Rainbow Agriculture Polytron Technologies began cultivating the Pakistani market. In 2023, they exported the first batch of original peanut seeds to Pakistan and planted about 66.7 hectare in Attock and Chakwal. "We have experimented and planted five new peanut varieties in Pakistan through the peanut breeding and promotion project, which grows and yields well.

The yields of these varieties in 2023 are twice as high as those of the local traditional varieties, which have been recognized by the local government and farmers," said Fan Changcheng, deputy general manager of the company. “This year, we’ll expand the trial planting area to about 133.4 hectare,” He added. Pakistan is a significant consumer of edible oil, with peanuts being one of the primary cash crops for oil production. Previously, Pakistan had low edible oil production, with some cultivation areas yielding approx­imately 1 ton of peanuts per hectare highlighting a significant disparity compared to China's high oleic peanut varieties. Imran Mahmood, who studied in China for many years and is now a technician at Rainbow Agriculture, is responsible for coordinating the peanut breeding project with Pakistan.