Pakistan Agriculture Developments

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Pakistan’s soybean intercropping to boost agriculture sector

May 9, 2021

SOURCEthenews.com.pk





Vice Chancellor of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB), Athar Mehboob visited demonstration of maize-soybean strip intercropping technology at Khairpur Tamewali, Bahawalpur, and said that Pakistan needs to learn from China to boost growth in agriculture sector. He thanked Chinese technology’s successful localization in the country, and expressed gratitude to Professor Yang Wenyu of Sichuan Agricultural University.
ISLAMABAD: Vice Chancellor of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB) Athar Mehboob visited demonstration of maize-soybean strip intercropping technology at Khairpur Tamewali, Bahawalpur.
According to China Economic Net (CEN), he explored all the demonstrative plots to check both crops’ growth and greenness. “We need to learn from our Chinese brothers how they modernize their agriculture and how they increase the yields with less resource,” he said.

Seeing Chinese agricultural technology’s successful localization in Pakistan, “here I want to say thanks to the Chinese President Xi Jinping who introduced China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Pakistan,” Athar Mehboob said.

He also expressed gratitude to Professor Yang Wenyu of Sichuan Agricultural University, and Dr. Gu Wenliang, Agricultural Commissioner, Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, for their generous support.
Dr Gu twitted about the visit that “I also have full confidence that this technology would change the edible oil production in Pakistan soon.” “We desperately want to sign MoUs with Chinese universities to learn from their high-yielding experience. We are ready to provide all the facilities to Chinese professors and scientists if they are interested to do any research in Pakistan.

 

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Decarbonising agriculture: solution is right under our feet

Zofeen T. Ebrahim
May 18, 2021

If farmers return to the “natural way of doing cultivation” on raised beds, that require no tilling and by using organic mulch, it is possible to reverse the damage. — AFP

THE way we grow our food can either put carbon up in the atmosphere or down below into the earth. More carbon in the atmosphere leads to global warming, but the same when put into the soil can be good for us. The problem and solution is simply a matter of attaining the right balance, say experts.

The way we do agriculture is putting the carbon from the soil and biosphere into the atmosphere. Today, it is the second-largest sector after energy contributing 43 per cent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused both by use of fossil-intensive fertiliser and land-use change, which in turn, are driven by increasing demand for food.

But experts say we need to look at carbon, not as our enemy but our ally as agriculture can provide more options to reduce the carbon footprint than say transport, industries and infrastructure.

“Regenerative agriculture is both a source and storage for GHGs,” said 70-year old Asif Sharif, a progressive farmer from Pakpattan in Punjab province. He believes that by turning to regenerative agriculture and changing grazing practices we can reverse climate change, drawdown carbon and reduce usage of water.

If farmers return to the “natural way of doing cultivation” on raised beds, that require no tilling and by using organic mulch, it is possible to reverse the damage.

According to the Food and Agriculture Authority, of the total area of 79.6 million hectares, up to 23.3m hectares is cropped. Out of this up to 2pc of landlords control 45pc of farmland and 98pc control the remaining 55pc.

The forests cover 4.6m hectares and the rest of the land comprises culturable waste, densely populated forests and rangelands. Almost 80pc of the cultivated area is covered by an irrigation system.

Major crops like wheat, rice, cotton and sugar cane contribute around 4.9pc, while minor crops contribute 2.1pc to the country’s total GDP. The livestock sector contributes 11pc to the GDP (60.5pc in agriculture sector). It also remains the largest employer in the country employing over 40pc of the labour force. Still 20.3pc of Pakistan’s population (40m people) is undernourished or food insecure.

The annual per capita availability of water in Pakistan is estimated at about 1,100 cubic metres; almost reaching chronic water stress with 90pc going into agriculture and the remaining share split between industry and domestic use.

Mr Sharif has devised paradoxical agriculture called PQNK, short for paedar qudrati nizam-i-kashtkari, which he claims is the solution to all evils, including climate crisis, imbalance of CO2, water shortage, degeneration of soil, poverty of small farmers and even poor quality of food.

“All are interlinked to soil and the way we practice farming,” he pointed out, adding: “Agriculture when done correctly, is infinitely self-renewing.” He emphasised adopting improved farm management practices which in turn would give better crop yields and more productive livestock.

His 500-acre farmland is his laboratory and he has a huge following of farmers listening to his every word on YouTube (since 2008), many of whom are from Indian Punjab.

His Facebook page called Pedaver, with over 17,000 followers, has hundreds of video clips sent by happy farmers who followed his advice.

Mr Sharif said an acre of wheat crop absorbs more CO2 from the atmosphere than an acre of forest with trees because the surface area of leaves from a wheat crop is much more. But because a forest is not ploughed the carbon remains stored there. The wheat field, on the other hand, because it is ploughed after harvesting releases carbon.

The bovine problem
But within this sector, livestock account for 70-80pc of all agricultural emissions.

Gases produced in the stomach of ruminant animals (cows, buffalo, sheep and goats), mainly methane that an animal burps, is 80 times more potent than CO2 in causing global warming.

And according to Ghulam Habib, an animal nutrition expert, the GHG emissions from livestock in Pakistan are far higher than global averages. This is corroborated by a 2012 FAO study that found methane emissions from livestock in Pakistan to be double the emissions from country’s transport sector.

But reducing methane emissions from livestock is critical to decarbonising agriculture, he said, but it was a lot harder as it means tweaking the animals’ biology and physiology.

He described “poor breeding and farm practices” as major contributors of large GHG emission by this sector.

While feed additives could be central to attaining carbon neutrality, a surer way was reducing the number of unproductive livestock and concentrating on improving their genes, he said.

Pakistan has a (huge) livestock (cattle, buffaloes, camels, horses, mules, asses, sheep, goat) of 207.4m (2019-20) but more than 80pc of the animals suffer from poor health.

Mr Habib, a former professor at the Peshawar Agricultural University, carried out a detailed assessment of emissions from the livestock supply chain from cradle-to-farm, in 2017, and had hoped the study would serve as baseline information for further research and policy debate to come up with a sound plan.

But there has been little interest in using the findings in formulating a national action plan for reducing emissions in the livestock sector. It would require, the challenging task of calculating the amount of emissions generated by different species. But more importantly, getting an authentic counting of the livestock carried out.

The United Nations-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates a global methane reduction of 40pc to 45pc by 2030 is needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C, as cheaply as possible. Moreover, because methane stays in the atmosphere for only a decade, reducing its output can deliver a relatively quick win compared with CO2, which lingers for centuries.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2021

 

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Achieving sustainability in the field of agriculture is the biggest challenge, said Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin.

In a meeting with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Food Security Jamshed Iqbal Cheema on Tuesday, he stressed the need for boosting farm productivity by facilitating farmers through interest-free agricultural loans so that they could get a fair share in the produce.

“The dominance of middlemen needs to be curtailed effectively,” he said. “By eliminating the role of middlemen, growers will get 35-40% higher return on their agricultural produce.”

The finance minister was of the view that interest-free loans would empower the farmers.

He discussed the modalities for provision of microcredit to the farmers through a syndicate of banks and microfinance institutions in a bid to enable them to purchase fertiliser, pesticides and other basic inputs.

He emphasised that the provision of interest-free loans to small farmers would transform the agriculture sector and end exploitation by the middlemen.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2021.

 

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Pakistan, China highlight areas for agricultural cooperation in projects worth Rupees 83 Billion

May 20, 2021

SOURCEdailytimes.com.pk



ISLAMABAD: As many as 18 projects worth around Rs83 billion have been identified in agriculture sector under the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Project, with an aim to exploit its true potential and modernize it for the sustainable economic growth.

“Agriculture development is the main component of the second-phase of CPEC and both China and Pakistan are determined to exploit this sector for mutual benefit,” said Senior Joint Secretary and Spokesman of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research Javed Hammayun.


About twelve short, medium and long-term projects identified by the China-Pakistan Joint Working Groups (JWG) are related to Livestock Wing, Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) and Livestock and Dairy Development Department, six projects are related to research and development to be executed b Pakistan Agricultural Research Council while one project has been identified for the establishment of Aquaculture Park in Coastal Areas of Pakistan.

Giving break up details, Javed said, through these projects both the countries would cooperate in the areas of capacity building, agriculture product processing and technology extension, he added.

The other identified projects included uplifting of local agriculture sector including fisheries, establishment of foot and mouth disease free zones, and market information as well as agricultural trade, he added.


Javed said that the short-term projects would be completed in two years’ time whereas the and medium as well as long term projects would be completed in four to five years’ time frame.

During the said high level visit, Ministry of Planning and Development had also signed an MOU with its Chinese counterpart to bring the two Joint Working Groups (JWGs) including Agricultural Cooperation and Science Technology under CPEC, he added.

Javed Hammayun further informed that so far two meetings of JWG had taken place, adding that second Joint working Group (JWG) on Agricultural Cooperation was held via video.

Both sides agreed to establish the center for sustainable control of plants pest diseases in Pakistan (Karachi) for which Department of Plant Protection will be the lead Executing Agency.

He said that Pakistan and China had also agreed to conduct third meeting of JWG in 2021 in Beijing.

Apprising the progress made on different projects finalized by JWG, he said that Foot and Mouth Disease (FMDF) free zone in Bahawalpur Division was established by Punjab, adding that in this regard an updated technical matrix on establishment of FMD Free Zones proposed by Livestock and Dairy Development Department, Punjab had been shared with Chinese side along with invitation to Chinese experts for inspection.

Livestock Wing of Ministry of National Food Security and Research has provided requisite information on prescribed questionnaire for export of poultry products to China and invited Chinese technical team to visit Pakistan for inspection of poultry establishments, he added.

In order to promote bilateral collaboration in research and transfer of technology, Chines side had also expressed its consent for providing financial assistance for the establishment of Center of Excellence at National Agriculture Research Center on agriculture, livestock and fisheries.

Javed Hammayun further informed that Pakistan was keen to develop its research collaboration with Chinese institutions in order to enhance per-acre crop output of all major crop including wheat, rice, cotton and in this regard the other side has also agreed for providing technical and financial assistance for the establishment of center of excellence on Central Cotton Research Institute Multan, besides the establishment of intelligent greenhouse farming in Pakistan.

The seven projects to be executed by PARC included promotion of cherry cultivation on commercial Scale in Gilgit-Baltistan for taping the export potential to China, adding that this project would be completed within five years with an estimated cost of Rs, 1,200 million, he added.

The Northern Areas of the country have enamoured potential to produce dry fruits and recognizing the importance the JWG had also identified the project promotion and development of Pistachio in Pakistan under CPEC initiatives and the estimated cost of initiative was calculated at Rs1,300 million and it would be completed within five years’ time period, he remarked.

Meanwhile, commenting on Pak-China collaboration in research and technology transfer, Member Plant Sciences in PARC Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali said that the council had established National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Bio-technology (NIGAB).

The NIGAB in collaboration with Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences had developed four high-yielding virus free banana verities, he said adding that new verities of potatoes were also developed which would have significant impact on local output of crop.

“We are also working with Chinese scientists for the development of long grain green super rice and high-yielding sugarcane and cotton verities and work on these crops were on advanced stage and it was expected that within a short span of time the verities of above-mentioned crops would be available for local cultivation that would have revolutionary impact on agriculture sector in the country”, he added.

 

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Pakistan endorses 10 products for GI registration

Move will help enhance global trade by attracting demand for country's products

Zafar Bhutta
May 21, 2021


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has approved 10 agro and non-agro products for Geographical Indication (GI) registration in a bid to claim them as its brands in the international market.

The move comes following India's attempt to label Basmati rice as its exclusive brand in the European Union market.

The process of GI registration for the 10 Pakistani products has begun after the cabinet gave its go-ahead last month.

The Commerce Division told the cabinet in a meeting held in April that GI was like intellectual property rights (IPRs), which was assigned to a product originating from a specific area whose quality or reputation was attributable to its place of origin.

Pakistan enacted the Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act 2020 in March 2020 to ensure the registration and effective protection of the country’s products. The government of Pakistan has already initiated the GI registration of its products.

In this connection, Basmati rice was registered on January 21, 2021 whereas the process for giving GI protection to Pink Rock Salt commenced on February 22, 2021.

A significant number of other products of Pakistan can also be protected under the GI Act 2020. GI will serve as a potential economic tool to promote and enhance national and international trade by attracting global demand and premium prices for Pakistan's products.

The Ministry of Commerce has embarked on a drive to identify the public bodies to be authorised by the federal government for the GI registration of Pakistan's products under Section 11(2) of the GI Act 2020 so that the registration process could be initiated by the respective stakeholders/ agencies.

The role of registering bodies is important as the responsibility to prepare the Book of Specifications rests with them.

The book is an essential document that contains the name and description of a GI bearing product, its principal characteristics, methods to obtain the product, definition of geographical area (mapping), link between the product and geographical environment, and evidence that the product originated from the defined geographical area.

The agricultural and nonagricultural products which the Ministry of Commerce has proposed for GI registration in the first phase include Chaunsa Mango, Sindhri Mango, Kinnow, Hunza Ruby, Swat Emerald, Kashmir Tourmaline, Skardu Topaz, Skardu Aquamarine, Peridot Stone and Peridot Valley.

The ministry has picked Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and Pakistan Minerals Development Corporation (PMDC) for registering these products.

Once the public bodies are authorised and notified as registrants, they will prepare the Book of Specifications and apply for the registration of GI-bearing products with the Intellectual Property Organisation Pakistan (IPO Pakistan).

The Ministry of Commerce tabled a proposal in last month's cabinet meeting where it sought approval for registering these products as brands of Pakistan.

Cabinet members appreciated the steps taken to protect the agro and non-agro products of Pakistan in the international market. However, they noted that bureaucratic hurdles were delaying efforts aimed at safeguarding national interests.

The cabinet members pointed out that there were several trade officers working in Pakistani missions in different countries including the EU. However, they never identified the threat posed by India to Pakistan's Basmati rice.

They asked the Commerce Division to take measures to protect Pakistani products in the international market. These products are a major source of exports from Pakistan to the global market.

Pakistan has already been too late in the GI registration of its products. By the end of 2020, the country had not registered any product as its exclusive brand.

The bureaucracy moved only after India claimed Basmati rice as its brand in the European market.

 

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‘Pakistan produces 15,750 metric tons of honey’

International honey bee moot held in Multan

Our Correspondent
May 21, 2021

MULTAN: The Institute of Plant Protection, MNS Unversity of Agriculture, Multan held the International Honey Bee Conference on “Bee Pollination Under Climate Change Scenario” via webinar on Thursday.

Federal Minister on National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam was invited as the chief guest at the event. The minister said, “Pakistan has great potential for beekeeping due to a diverse bee flora and suitable environmental conditions. Honeybees are an essential component of modern agriculture and economy.”

Beekeeping and honey production is becoming a profitable business in Pakistan along with being an eco-friendly practice.

Pakistan has three species of native Apis and one exotic honeybee.

Currently, there are about 10,000 beekeepers in Pakistan managing almost 1.1 million Apis mellifeca colonies. Annual honey production is about 15,750 metric tonnes in the country.


Pakistan ranks 20th in the world for honey production and 34th in honey export.

Beekeeping in Pakistan is mainly focused in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and central and north regions of Punjab but nowadays it is growing rapidly due to the demand for honey and its byproducts locally and internationally.

Plant diversity is directly dependent upon pollination success and vice versa, thus understanding the management of pollinators is very impotent.

 

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Any analysis of long-term regional productivity would reveal that farmers in Sindh have historically enjoyed higher returns compared to their friends in the northern province. Tons of explanations exist for this phenomenon: from relatively larger farm holding sizes in the southern province encouraging economies of scale, to longer dry summer spells that make crops less susceptible to pest attacks. On the flipside, dry weather patterns means that Sindh’s growers must choose from a limited basket of crop choices, especially among grains and cash crops.

In order to increase output, Sindh’s farmers do not have much of a choice but to focus on productivity maximization. Provincial net area under cultivation has long been maxed out at 3.6 million hectares, as the ratio of current fallow land to area sown more than once (in a year) has declined from 4 times to 2.3 times over the past two decades. Moreover, anecdotal evidence suggests that farmers in the province derive a smaller share of their earnings from livestock, thus making them more dependant on better performance of crops.

It is in this context that the secular stagnation in Sindh’s crop productivity is fast becoming alarming. Although growers in the province still enjoy higher yields compared to Punjab’s on average, the difference is fast diminishing.

Over the past two decades, Sindh recorded massive advances in productivity that came on the back of improvement of water courses in the province followed by increase in actual surface water availability during both cropping seasons. By FY12, crop yields across all four major crops had improved by at least 15 percent compared to a decade earlier. In fact, average yield had doubled in the case of cotton, while growing by over one-third for wheat.

But much has gone wrong ever since. Crop yields that had been growing at 4 to 8 percent annually (long term average) between FY01 – FY12 have since stagnated, recording negative annual growth in the case of wheat, cotton, and rice since FY13. While many are quick to blame water stress for Sindh’s changing fortunes, IRSA numbers tell a different story.

For one, because the southern province is wholly dependent on canal water for farming, Sindh’s irrigation supply has always been more erratic and dependent on river flows. Compared to Punjab’s farmers, most Sindh growers have never had access to groundwater supplies due to its salinity. While it is correct that water stress has become more pronounced in recent years – especially since the flood year – in the past Sindh has managed to improve its crops’ productivity despite volatility in river flows. The academically inclined readers might recall that Sindh suffered from droughts in early 2000s, yet still managed to improve productivity for most major crops during the period.

The secular stagnation in Sindh’s crop productivity warrants urgent intervention, but also requires a comprehensive investigation that examines changing climatic patterns and effects on crop productivity, and possible changes in regions traditionally considered favourable for some crops which may no longer be true. Sindh’s agricultural policymakers, for example, must ask whether given the erratic and volatile availability, is the province growing best suited crops or should it switch over to more drought resistant varieties?

Most importantly, the province must jettison the 20th century paradigm of self-sufficiency and consider whether its rural economy would be better off if it generated surpluses in drought resistant crops that could be traded in exchange for grains consumed locally, both with regional and international trade partners. The census of 2017 has revealed that the widely believed rural population of the province has now been reduced to a minority. Based on most recent output estimates and population numbers, Sindh’s claim to grain self-sufficiency already stands doubtful.

It may not be long before the producers in the province have little influence over prices of commodities produced indigenously, if a significant quantum is procured/imported from outside the region. It is high time that policymakers ask tough questions regarding the future trajectory of agricultural sector in the province. Questioning the current crop mix may be a good place to start.

 

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Wild Pistachio Reserve at Hazarganji Chiltan National Park. Quetta

Balochistan has great potential to grow Pistachio...

 

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The fruits of the government's agriculture policy have begun.
The growth rate in all major crops 4.65 percent.

Wheat......... 8.1 percent
Rice..............13.6 percent
Sugarcane... 22 percent
Corn............. 7.4 percent

 

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https://twitter.com/x/status/1361600398117777412

 

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MULTAN: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Food Security and Research, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, said on Saturday that PM’s Agriculture Transformation Plan was a revolutionary initiative to shift national agriculture from subsistence to the next level, the commercial agriculture.

Catchline of the plan is 'Agriculture to Food changing Pakistan', he said while addressing a press conference at Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) Multan.

The seven-year transformation plan would focus small and medium farmers, he said, adding that 65 percent growers have less than 2.5 acres landholding. Only, 26,000 out of 8.3 million growers have over 100 acres land and the rest possessed less than 50 acres.

SAPM Jamshed Iqbal Cheema said that agriculture serves three vital purposes including food, feed and fibre and the fuel (bio-diesel) in case of large scale farming.

He said, 60 percent rural population producing food for all of us needed moral and financial support for their financial stability and avoid their shifting to cities for earning purposes. He said that the income of small growers would be enhanced by 2.5 times in seven years. PM's Transformation plan was meant to strike balance among farmers, consumers, society and processors (industry).

He informed that 44 million ton grain including wheat, rice and maize was being produced in the country and it would be doubled and brought to 84 million ton by virtue of the plan. Cheema said that the fruits and vegetable production would also be enhanced. He said that 10 million olive trees were being planted at Hazara division in KPK and Rawalpindi division which would meet the olive oil need also.

He said that fruit trees would be produced at agricultural areas and millions of trees would be planted under a massive drive.

He said that two oilseed and pulse (Moong) would be cultivated between two major crops including cotton and wheat and added that the production of maize and potato would also be enhanced.

He said that wheat production would also be enhanced.

He said milk was a major food item adding that, on average, every person drinks 200 litres milk and eat 108 kilogramme flour annually. He said there was dire need to further improve cows' breedings to enhance milk production.

He said that 30 million people keep pets cattle and added that cow's milk will be enhanced and brought to 11000 litres.

The SAPM said that the government was going to open 900 stores across the country to save growers from middle men, adding that soft loans would be provided to farmers against their produce to be kept at these 5000-15000 metric tons capacity stores.

He said that banks would provide soft term loans to farmers to help them cultivate next crop.

The grower could sell his produce whenever he wants and he would pay the bank loan, Cheema added.

He said that machinery would be provided to growers and youth to promote fruits and vegetable. He said that private extension service was being introduced at provincial level to provide guidance to growers as private sector would run it and the government would pay.

The government is going to make the information regarding cooking and food part of the curriculum at matric and intermediate, A, O level while universities would be asked to provide maximum information about food.

He said that the each inch of land throughout the country would be brought under use. He informed that 10 new dams were being built and added that the bumper production of six crops was achieved this year.

He said that wheat was recorded one million ton extra from our demand while the government was going to import 3 to 4 million ton wheat more to maintain120-days reserve wheat stock.

He said that sugarcane recorded the second highest production.

He said that government was taking steps for the revival of the cotton and added that all efforts would be made to achieve over 10 million cotton bales this year with a target of 14 million cotton bales in sight for near future.

Cheema said that sugarbeet would be cultivated at one million acres which would help meet the sugar need.

He said that restructuring of CCRI was being reinforced to improve its performance further. On this occasion, Vice President Pakistan Central Cotton Committee Dr Muhammad Ali Talpur, Director CCRI Dr zahid Mahmood and others were present.

 

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A special forum on Pakistan-China agricultural cooperation was held in Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan province of China, in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. The event was attended by Ambassador of Pakistan to China, Moin ul Haque, and other senior officials from both countries. Ambassador Haque thanked Chinese businessmen for their interest in Pakistan and said that as CPEC enters Phase-II, the government of Pakistan has attached priority to deepening bilateral agricultural cooperation.

 

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Record production observe in country’s six major crops:

ISLAMABAD, (APP):...... Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam on Saturday said that record production was observed in six major crops in the country, which are expected to boost the national economic growth.

“Modern research and innovation in the field of agriculture, especially research on the seeds of different major and minor crops by the agricultural experts can revolutionize the country’s agriculture.” “Quality research and intellect in the agriculture is need of hour to achieve the agenda of ‘Food Security’ in the Country”, he added.

As this time the government has provided the quality and cheap seeds to the farmers for major crops, which led to a record increase in the country’s agricultural production, Minister for National Food Security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam said this while addressing a press conference here.

Due to the excellent agricultural policy of the Pakistan Tehreek – e- Insaf (PTI) government, supply of good quality seeds and favorable weather conditions, the production of wheat, rice, maize, potato, onion and groundnut has increased to a record level.

Minister was of the view that excellent production and efficiency in the agricultural sector is due to the personal interest of Prime Minister Imran Khan in the agricultural sector, which has increased the confidence of the farmers.

Syed Fakhar Imam said that the country’s wheat production this time was 27.3 million tons, while last year’s wheat production was 25.3 million tons, which was 2 million tons more than the previous year.

Similarly, there was a record rise in the production of other major crops like maize, rice, groundnut, potato and production of onions.

He said that agricultural sector was neglected in the past and, “we have to regain our lost ground in cotton production by using modern research and technology to recover our lost ground in cotton production.”

Fakhar Imam said the government has a special focus on industrial activities in agricultural lands and agro- regions, especially housing societies developed by different quarters.

In this regard, “I will talk to Prime Minister Imran Khan exclusively so that some policy can be formulated on this.”

Similarly, there was a record rise in the production of other major crops like maize, rice, groundnut, potato and production of onions.

He said that maize production in this time remained at record 8.645 million tons, while last year’s wheat production was 7.88 million tons, adding that the country’s rice production also observed record increase at 8.41 million in this season.

He said that the government is committed to introducing innovation in the agriculture sector for promoting the value addition culture to provide competitiveness to the local agriculture items in the global market.

Now the government has supported the agriculture sector to achieve competitiveness for exporting the major fruits including mangoes and citrus in potential markets of European Union, Australia and United States (US), he said.

Minister said that livestock has also emerged as a major component of the agriculture sector and now has achieved a growth rate of 3.1 percent.

Replying to a question said that now the government has especially focused on the production of edible oil to decrease the biggest export bill in this commodity.

He said that the government has also planned to promote the floriculture for promoting flower farming and also focusing on the organic farming for enhancing the country’s export.

 

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Different Types of Mangoes Available in Pakistan

Known as the ‘King of Fruits’ in South Asia, Mangoes are among the things that almost every Pakistani waits for all year! The arrival of summer in Pakistan also signals the arrival of mangoes. As Pakistan is one of the largest producers of mangoes in the world with hundreds of varieties being grown in the country, there is a need to identify the most popular types of mangoes in Pakistan that are consumed and loved by people the most.



DIFFERENT TYPES OF MANGOES IN PAKISTAN


While summers are usually all about foods that help you beat the heat and stay cool, mangoes have a special place reserved in the hearts of Pakistanis everywhere, which is why they are also exported all over the world. The heavenly fruit can be peeled and eaten raw once it is ripe, chopped up into desserts and salads, blended to make smoothies and mango lassi, or even pickled before it is ripe to make mango pickles or ‘aam ka achaar’. Shredded mango is also used to create a sour and sweet murabba to be consumed with meals during mango season in Pakistan.

Some of the most popular types of mangoes in Pakistan include:

• Langra
• Chaunsa
• Anwer Ratol
• Sindhri
• Dussehri

Let’s discuss this list of mangoes available in Pakistan in detail below.




LANGRA

Langra Mangoes Remain Green When Ripe

This mango variety was most probably first cultivated in Varanasi, also commonly known as Banaras, in the northern part of India. Nobody knows why the mango came to be known as Langra or ‘lame’, but many local stories claim that the owner of the tree was lame himself, and so, this circumstance gave the mango its name.

The major factor that distinguishes Langra from all the other types of mangoes is that it maintains its green colour even after it’s ripe, while other mangoes change into a yellow-reddish colour. Langra’s flesh is fibreless, yellowish-brown, and has a strong smell when ripe. The skin is fragile, and this mango is only available as a medium-sized fruit with a small and oval seed.

It usually hits the markets mid-July to August and is the ideal variety for canning and preservation, while the flavour can range from extremely sweet to a bitter sourness, depending on the ripeness of the fruit.




CHAUNSA

Chaunsa Mangoes Are Exported All Over the World


This mango was originally cultivated in Rahim Yar Khan and Multan, but legend has it that it was given its current name by Sher Shah Suri after he defeated the Mughal Emperor Humayun at Chausa, a district in Bihar, India. This mango was the favourite of the founder of the Suri Empire.

Chaunsa is also one of the most loved types of mangoes across the world because it is exceptionally sweet and juicy. You can simply soften the flesh from the outside by pushing the skin inwards with your thumbs before removing the mango’s eye that connects it to the stem to drink the delicious juice. It doesn’t get any fresher than this!

The deliciously soft mango has a wonderful fragrance, minimum fibre, and a thick stone in the middle with light yellow flesh. Its ripening season is June to August, and it keeps on delighting taste buds in Pakistan and across the world until late September when no other mango varieties are available.



ANWAR RATOL

Anwar Ratol is Quite Commonly Found in Punjab

This mango owes its existence to Anwar-ul-Haq, who is said to have been the first to cultivate this type of mango in a village named Rataul near Baghpat district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Anwar Ratol is primarily found in the Punjab province of Pakistan and has a distinctive sweet taste and fragrance with fibreless flesh.

Due to high demand, it hits the markets for a very short duration in two bursts, once at the start of the mango season from May to June when it is thin-skinned but incredibly sweet, and then in July to August, where it has a relatively thicker skin but is less sweet in taste.


SINDHRI

Sindhri Mangoes Are Ideal for Commercial Use

Sindhri is a leading variety of mango from Sindh with its origins in a town of the same name in Mirpur Khas District. It is a large, oval-shaped mango with a yellowish skin, is low in fibre, and is highly aromatic. For many, Sindhri mango is the epitome of taste and texture in mangoes. While it is generally sweet, Sindhri mangoes might be a bit tangy early in the season.

It is also one of the varieties that is seen the most commonly in markets in Sindh and the top variety of mangoes that are used commercially for milkshakes and ice creams. This mango also grows larger towards the end of its season between May and August and does not spoil easily, providing it with a fairly long shelf life than some of the other varieties, like Langra, which will start to turn black in a few days if you keep them refrigerated.



DUSSEHRI

Dussehri Mangoes Are Smaller Than Other Varieties

Dussehri traces its roots back to the gardens of the Nawab of Lucknow in the 18th century. Mouth-watering and lip-smacking, the mango has the juiciest pulp with an exquisite taste and delightful aroma.

Smaller than other mangoes, it is no less delicious with a sweet juice, leaving you wanting more even after having 2 or 3 in one go. The best time to enjoy this mango is at the peak of its flavour during the first two weeks of July.

Saroli, Neelum, Fajri, Almas, Malda, Gulab Khans, Sunera, Lal Badshah, Totapuri, and Alphonso are other famous and readily available mangoes in Pakistan.

You can also grow a mango tree in your backyard to enjoy the best mangoes in Pakistan, as our climate is ideal for planting quite a few trees in your garden at home. You can also make delicious and refreshing summer drinks from the fruits of your garden, including mango juice, which can be frozen to make mango ice cream.

 

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To protect farmers from middleman exploitation, the government is planning to provide farmers with easy loans to build warehouses to store the crop, which will be received on a receipt issued by the store owner.

That way the farmer will not have a liquidity problem and when he sells his crop he will be able to repay the loan taken for the crop. And he can make a profit by hoarding the rest of the country's surplus crop instead of filling middlemen's pockets.

These middle men are the ones who make huge profits every year without any effort, exploiting the common people and farmers by hoarding illegally.