Chief Executive Officer, Punjab Agricultural Research Board, Dr Mubarak Ali has said that Pakistan's share of horticultural sector in global production and export has declined over time. We allocate about 5 percent of our cropped area to horticulture, while this ratio has reached 35-50 percent in other countries of the region like Taiwan, Korea and Japan.
This has deprived Pakistan itself from the important opportunity to over come poverty in rural areas by strengthening the horticulture sector. He was addressing the inaugural session of 2-day workshop on "Production of Disease Free Citrus Nursery Plant" organised by Institute of Horticultural Sciences, UAF in collaboration with Ministry of Science and Technology at Landscape studio of the Institute as a chief guest on Wednesday.
Dr Mubarak Ali maintained that nobody can deny the importance of horticulture in modern agriculture. He said that this sector provides 3-4 times more income to farmers, and generates additional employment for the vulnerable group of the society. He further said that it enhances food security especially nutritional security; diversify production system, which has its own virtues, and appropriate policies can boost foreign exchange earning.
Dr Mubarak Ali highlighted the role of PARB and said that the government of the Punjab has agreed to channel all research fund in the province through this board to boost harmonised research activities among various research bodies of the province. In this regard an amount of Rs 700 million has been allocated.
Professor Iftikhar Ahmad Khan, Dean Faculty of Agriculture while delivering welcome address said that citrus is the number one fruit grown in our country. About 95 percent of our total citrus production is concentrated in central Punjab. He added that the area and production of fruits in general and for cutrus in particular, has been expanding since early 1960's due to increasing demand in the domestic and foreign markets.
He maintained that the demand for fresh fruit in the neighbouring countries offers lucrative returns, which has helped the sustained growth of fruit crops. Dr Iftikhar said that the loss due to poor quality of fruit from sick and variable plants is causing reduction of returns that must be addressed by the scientists.
Professor Muhammad Amjad Director IHS said that horticulture is one of the sub sector of agriculture, ie bestowed with various parameter besides enjoying comparative advantage in the international trade to help improve the balance of payment. He added that citrus is the major fruit produced and exported by Pakistan Citrus Industry is mainly confronted by the decline which is generally caused due to the cumulative efforts of pest, diseases, disorders and viruses.
Professor M. Mumtaz Khan in his key-note address said that a project entitled "Establishment of a modern citrus nursery of certified plants through sanitation techniques" has been successfully executed at the IHS in order to identify the problems of citrus glowers. He said that we are trying to develop a sustainable citrus nursery production system of clean material and to strengthening the country's horticulture industry. Dr Atif Riaz conducted the inaugural session.
The concluding session of the workshop will be held on September 13, 2007 in which the Dr Akhlaq Hussain DG, FSC & RD will be the chief guest.