The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) is organising a seminar on Food Industry Quality Management with special reference to date processing at Khairpur (Mirs) on July 24.
The seminar is aimed at encouraging local food processing industry particularly the date processing industry to adopt international standards such as HACCP, which are vital to penetrate into global markets.
The Sindh Minister Pir Sadaruddin Shah Rashidi is expected to be the chief guest at the seminar while Tariq Ikram, Chairman EPB will preside over the event.
Pakistan is one of the leading dates producing and exporting country. In the year 2002-03 Pakistan exported dates worth dollar 25 million, while exports up to April 2004 were valued at dollar 21.6 million.
Khairpur (Mirs) has already acquired the international status in producing and exporting excellent quality dates. About 100,000 acres of land is under date cultivation in the district. It has over half a dozen date processing factories.