Apple grading plant in Quetta ready for operation

Apple grading plant in Quetta, a step taken by the government under trade policy initiatives and a special package to develop Balochistan, is ready to offer services to users. The government has also taken several other significant projects, including two collection points - one each in Khuzdar and Loralai and one date processing plant in Turbat.
The collection points are wholesale markets with cold storage facilities meant to help sourcing of quality and graded produce from the production areas for domestic and export markets. Tender documents are almost ready for inviting bids from contractors. The projects are planned to complete by late 2008.
The position of date processing plant is similar. The completion is expected in the current financial year. The Commerce Ministry has released funds from the Export Development Fund.
This was informed at a joint projects review meeting held the other day under the chairmanship of Muhammad Javaid Iqbal Awan, Secretary Agriculture Department Balochistan, says a spokesman of the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board (PHDEB).
The meeting among others was attended by Muhammad Iqbal Chief Operating Officer, PHDEB, Muhammad Riaz Khan Director General Agriculture Research Balochistan, Qamar Anjum Director TDAP, Akhtar Ali Bangulzai Director Agriculture Marketing Balochistan and Alamgir Khan Progressive grower from Bostan.
The meeting was informed that each project will be managed by a Board of Directors comprising members from the stakeholders including Provincial Agriculture Department, PHDEB, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Growers and Exporters.
In addition, two collection points and one tomato processing plants are at advanced stage of project development. The completion of these projects would largely contribute towards value addition and efficient marketing of fruits and vegetables produced in Balochistan including enhancement of their exports. This in turn will have a positive and significant impact on economic conditions of the growers and all others associated with fresh produce handling and marketing.
The participants of the meeting noted that under the recently announced Trade Policy 2007/08, establishment of cold chain infrastructure has been included in addition to a number of other initiatives. The 39 pack-houses and 20 cold storages to be set up in main production and consumption centres, sea and airports included a due share for Balochistan. These, combined with on-going initiatives would certainly open up new vistas for improving marketing of fruits and vegetables produced in Balochistan both within the country and exports. This in turn will have significant healthy impact on the socio-economic conditions of the people of Balochistan.
It may be recalled that Balochistan is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the country. However, it is the largest producer of dates, onion and deciduous fruits that include apple, apricot, grapes and pomegranates.
In spite of dwindling underground water reserves, the province continues to offer good prospects for high value cash crops owing primarily to its favourable climate and fertile soils. However, its poor physical infrastructure including cold storages, wholesale markets and processing facilities tend to keep the potentials under exploited. The development of aforesaid projects will largely help in overcoming these constraints.