HYDERABAD: The Agricultural Experts, economists, progressive farmers, and researchers have said that cotton is not meeting the country’s need for textile raw materials, so we must invest in alternative sources, and Agriculture is not been given satisfactory results due to non-investment by the industry for a century, while agriculture is the only sector in the country, in which the rate of commodities is set by the commission agent instead of the Farmer.
They said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 5th annual Banana Festival 2023, organized under the auspices of Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) in collaboration with Agri-Tourism Development Corporation, Tech-Saeein, Mishal, PAR, MH Panhwer Farms, Durrani Farms, and FAO on Monday.
Addressing the occasion SAU Vice Chancellor Dr. Fateh Marri said that more than 3.5 million tons of valuable banana waste is burnt every year, while it can create many by-products including fiber, composite fertilizers, confectionery, and cosmetics. He suggested that a Banana Research Group be formed comprising farmers, the public, private, and industrial sectors, and research institutes, while we will join as a member of the World Banana Forum in the future.
Vice Chancellor of Shah Abdul Latif University (SALU) Khairpur Mirs, Dr. Khalil Ahmed Ibupoto said that if SALU, SAU, and other research institutes establish a large tissue culture lab for resistant plants of banana, date palm, and other fruits, then we can meet the existing demand for disease-free tissue culture plants.
Vice Chancellor, University of Sufism and Modern Sciences Bhittshah Dr. Parveen Munshi said that this is the era of commercialization, and there is a huge scope for value chain in agriculture, like mangoes, banana value chain and marketing needs attention.
Director General Agriculture Research Sindh Noor Muhammad Baloch said that the availability of banana varieties and tissue culture plants is a problem, but despite this, the institutions are doing their work.
Vice President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce, Mohammad Younis Soomro said that the agriculture of Sindh is a hostage in the hands of Commission Agents, while agricultural production is the only sector in which the authority to set the rates is not in the hands of the Farmers.
Dean of the Textile Institute of Pakistan Dr. Abdul Jabbar said that 20% of the raw materials needed by the textile industry in the world are being supplied by fiber from bananas and other items, while we are burning our valuable waste.
Progressive farmer Haji Muhammad Umar Bughio said that if Iran, Afghanistan, and China did not import bananas from our country, no one would plant bananas, so we have to show seriousness on the value chain.
Agha Zafarullah Durrani of Durrani Farms said that we need five million tissue culture plants annually. “During the flood, 60 thousand acres of banana crop were destroyed.” He added
Nosherwan Mughal, Mohsin Khan, Dr. Mohammad Ismail Kumbhar, Dr. Shaukat Ali Abro, Dr. Tahseen Fatima Miano, and others also spoke on this occasion.
During the technical session, experts presented their papers regarding banana development, value chains, by-products, and exports. An exhibition on bananas was also organized during the festival.
On this occasion, students from the University of Karachi, Textile Institute of Pakistan, and delegations from various industries, farmers’ organizations, PARC, Agricultural Research, Agricultural Extension, SAFCO, RDF and other institutions and a large number of experts, teachers, and students participated.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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