Governor NWFP Lieutenant General Syed Iftikhar Hussain (Retd) has urged the private sector to come forward and fulfil its responsibilities in national development, saying that the public sector has to face the problem of inefficiency.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the three-day 6th Apple Show, organised under the auspices of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) in collaboration with the Apple Growers Association, he said that the status of the government has remained as a facilitator.
He said: "Although the NWFP is small in size, but nature has bestowed it with different environment as north have snow-wrapped mountains, fertile for horticulture products, while Peshawar is known for growing tobacco and sugar."
Similarly, he said, "southern parts of the province have environment, which have similarity in farm production with the Punjab province. But, due to the lack of water we have never utilised them."
"The present government, besides traditional items, has also given preference to the export of non-traditional items," the governor said, adding, "the annual export target of Pakistan is 13 billion dollars, in which our province has a nominal share."
Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah said that the NWFP is located on the strategically important place and called for better utilisation of the geographical location for access to the emerging markets of Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs).
He said: "Olive and tea are other potential agricultural products of the province." However, he said, "we have taken no practical steps and have preferred only lip services." "If we take correct decisions, then we could easily bring agricultural revolution in our province."
In response to the demands of the Apple Growers Association, the governor said that the provision of better facilities would enable us to export fresh fruits and vegetables.
Regarding problems in packing, quality production and marketing, he said that the public sector should also come forward and added that the government would provide all facilities to the private sector.
In this connection, he especially referred to the cut on the mark-up rate on farm loans. He called for the adoption of market mechanism. He said that Export Promotion Bureau was also looking new markets for the products.
EPB PROJECTS: Vice-chairman EPB Abid Javaid Akbar, in his welcome address, said: "The Bureau is working on three projects in the province, which are marble & granite, fruits & vegetables and gems & minerals."
"After 2005 we will have good opportunity to export fresh fruits and vegetables" Akbar said, adding, "in this era of competition we have to improve quality, standard and packing of our products."
He informed the participants of the exhibition that the People's Republic of China has allowed the import of Pakistani mangoes, saying that due to the strategic position Peshawar is in a better position to export quality fruits and vegetables to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Salahuddin of Apple Growers Association Swat and Shah Alam of Progressive Apple Growers Tehsil Matta, Swat, speaking on the occasion, demanded of the government to introduce crop insurance scheme and Kissan Card System in the province as introduced by the government of Punjab.
They also demanded subsidy in fares to help facilitate the export of their products to the Middle East market.