Pilot project of chilli farm with 100 acres completes: Asim

ISLAMABAD: Now its chilli farming that will play role in turning around economy of the country as pilot project of chilli farms has been completed with cooperation of the Chinese agricultural experts.

The CPEC Authority Chairman Lt Gen (R) Asim Saleem Bajwa has announced that pilot project of chilli farm with 100 acres is completed. In his tweet, he said that in the next phase, as many as 3000 acres of land would be brought under chilli cultivation. He said the Pak-China Condiment alliance had been formed with the Chinese partners CMEC and Sichuan Litong Food Group. This project would also help boosting exports of spices from the country. This would enhance yield, improve seed quality, skill development, farm labour, and processing.

The official sources claimed that the project chilli farming is expected to produce more than 8,000 tons of dried chilies with a net income of more than Rs100,000 per acre for local farmers. Based on this, it will further develop downstream deep processing industries and create more employment opportunities.

In the first phase of Chilli Contract Farming Project, China-Pakistan Agricultural Cooperation Pilot Zone is to be set up in five years, while in its Phase II, it is expected to grow 30,000 acres of chilli and build pigment extracting plant, with an industrial output value of $200 million. While in the third phase, a China-Pakistan food industrial park would be established in 5 to 10 years, to promote the condiment industry in both countries.

As per agricultural cooperation under the mega project of CPEC, a plan of 20 projects is being implemented to modernise the agriculture sector in Pakistan, including new seeds to increase the crop yield, upgrading of irrigation system, promotion of agri-based industry for value addition and setting up global chain network.