Pakistan has become third largest dates exporter, with room for growth

[Edevelop]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has become the third largest dates exporting country in the world and with proper attention and appropriate interventions this sector can flourish manifold.


The date sector offers substantial opportunities for export, income and employment generation in addition to economic growth of the country, an official of Ministry of Commerce and Textile has said on Tuesday.


The annual production of dates in Pakistan is estimated at around 535,000 tonnes of which only 86,000 tonnes are exported and the rest are either consumed locally or perish, he informed.


Chief Executive Officer Harvest Trading Ahmad Jawad told that Pakistani dates exports could be raised to $200 million from the current $28 million with proper processing and packaging. Since 1999, per acre yield of dates in Pakistan has not increased much, whereas worldwide production increased by 166 percent, he added.


Highlighting the problems, the CEO said that the country lacked storage facilities and so exported some quantity of dates while the rest perish. Thus due to these problems the country had to import dates during the month of Ramadan.


Importers of dates such as Germany, Denmark, India, Nepal, USA, UK, Afghanistan and Canada are re-exporting Pakistani dates after quality enhancement and preparation of by-products, at a price that is four to six times higher than their import price,” said Jawad.


“Of the 300 varieties of dates produced in Pakistan, Begam Jangi of Balochistan, Aseel of Sindh and Dhakki of Dera Ismail Khan are the varieties which are sought after the world over due to their exotic taste,” said Jawad.


He further said that dates could fetch many more millions of dollars if focus was given to value addition such as the use of dates in preparing date sweets, jams, chocolates and other products. Even the damaged crop is used for medical purposes and date oil is fit for use in cosmetics. He maintained that the usage of dates increases during the winter season thus its price and demand surges. Another report by the USAID revealed that lack of awareness about best farming practices, improper fruit handling techniques, and an absence of developed processing facilities are major constraints inhibiting profitable date production in Pakistan.


Ghulam Farid, a date farm owner stated that usually the harvest season of dates starts in July in upper Sindh. During the monsoon season, they remain safe due to lack of rain in these areas during harvesting.

‘Pakistan has become third largest dates exporter, with room for growth’

 

[haviZsultan]

Did you know most of the dates were harvested in the province of Balochistan and the production center of the dates is Balochistan. It is called Hormaag in Balochi.

Pakistan is the fifth largest date producer in the world. Dates are cultivated on an area of 74.80 thousand hectares with a production of 426.80 thousand tonnes.

Balochistan produces 225, 000 tonnes of dates from an area of 42.3 thousand hectares and contributes 53 per cent to the total national output.

Production of dates is second to apples in the area.

Mekran division produces 227,000 tonnes of quality dates from about 20 varieties. Unfortunately, only a few thousand tonnes are marketed.

Mekran is the second largest date producer in the country after Sukkur.

Kech district’s share is 59 per cent.

While farmers generally look for timely rains to harvest a better crop, the case is reverse with date growers. Since the rain damages the date crop, date growers always pray for dry weather.

During the months of July and August, when the date palms are in full bloom, date growers apply spiritual methods as preventive measures to save the crop from monsoon rains.

This happens due to lack of scientific and technological facilities.

You can see ‘taweez’ hanging on date trees, which is a common feature in date growing areas in Sindh and Balochistan, to save them from the rains.

The government is requested to take action in this regard and devise strategies to save date crops from adverse weather, and provide transport facilities to the farmers.

PS I love Sajji too.

 

[Kompromat]

Pakistan certainly can take the top spot. There is plenty of room in Thal and Thar for cultivating dates and olives.

 

[Sulman Badshah]

Pakistan certainly can take the top spot. There is plenty of room in Thal and Thar for cultivating dates and olives.

besides these 2 jojoba can also be cultivated in desert like conditions

 

[Sulman Badshah]

Pakistan needs to install packaging and warehouse facilities ,... Most of dates production got perished