Mango Growers Association (MGA) has lamented the delay in its registration with the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), allegedly hindering support to the group from international groups in various programmes for the improvement of mango orchards. In a letter addressed to Federal Agriculture Minister Sikandar Hayat Bosan, MGA President Zahid Hussain Gardezi demanded the establishment of well-equipped Central Mango Research Institute and expediting the setting up of Agriculture Export Processing Zone (AEPZ) at Multan.
He said the MGA had apprised former President Farooq Ahmad Leghari in 1995 and President General Pervez Musharraf in 2000 about the problems being faced by the mango growers.
However, the central government and the provincial agriculture departments of Punjab and Sindh took no serious step towards the resolution of those problems, he added.
Zahid said the MGA must be given the representation as member of the AEPZ for mangoes at Multan.
The association should also be given representation in Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board (PHDEB) as member, he demanded.
When contacted, a senior official of the Food Ministry said the government had convened an inter-ministerial meeting on the issues raised by the MGA president.
He said the meeting was expected to be held on January 4 in Islamabad in which the MGA representatives would inform the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) about the problems of the mango growers. Sikandar Bosan was expected to chair the meeting, he added.
The official said the government was well aware of the problems of mango growers and the Minfal would do its level best to resolve the issues after deliberations in the meeting.
"There are many organisations and institutions, desirous of assisting the MGA in various programmes for improvement of mango orchards. The basic requirement is that the MGA must be registered with the Ministry of Commerce. The MGA case for registration is lying pending with the concerned ministry," said the MGA President in the letter.
The letter said the availability and productivity of soil-friendly mango specific fertiliser had become a major problem for mango growers. There was a need to facilitate timely supply of required fertilisers on priority basis to progressive farmers, the letter said.
He pointed out that the universities and teaching institutions all over the world were involved in research and development with their faculties to inculcate a true type of human resource cadre for their country.
Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute and the PHDEB should be directed to identify and initiate research on problems of the mango orchards, according to the letter.
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