Agro-based industrial activities: Prime Minister announces formation of joint commission

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday announced to set up a joint commission comprising representatives from centre and provinces to revolutionise agro-industrial activities in the country. Addressing a ceremony after inaugurating the Rs 321.89 million project of Agro Food Processing Facilities (AFP) at Industrial Estate Area Multan, he also announced to establish an agro based industrial park in Multan.
The announcement to form a joint commission was made by the Prime Minister on the proposal of Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif who had suggested formation of joint committee to promote agro based industrial activities to tap full crop potential of Pakistan, enhance value added export and improve financial conditions of growers.
Gilani said that AFP Multan is a big example of co-operation between the federal government and Punjab for the benefit of the people and government will replicate this experience of food processing plants in other parts of the country subject to success of this initiative.
Prime Minister said that modern food processing facility has opened new venues of opportunities for growers to enhance their profits by adding value to their agriculture produce. The modern food processing plant is the only facility in the country set up by the joint contributions made by the federal and Punjab governments on the basis of public-private partnership.
It has the capacity to process mango into pulp at the rate of 10 tons per hour. The capacity is five ton per hour in case of Guava, Strawberry and Apple. The facility can also process vegetables like tomato and carrot at the rate of five tons per hour.
Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh, MPAs Syed Nazim Hussain Shah, Malik Ahmad Hussain Dehar, Abdul Waheed Arain, Dr Akhtar Malik, Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar, chairman board of management AFP Multan and President Mango Growers Association (MGA) Syed Zahid Hussain Gardezi attended the ceremony.