Local business community has decided to establish "Food and Vegetable Processing/Packing" Centre near Sialkot International Airport. The setting up of common facility centre for fruit and vegetable processing would open new avenue for the exporters and could be the source of quantum leap in export from Sialkot.
The Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) sources told Business Recorder on Sunday that the objectives of the proposed fruit and vegetable processing centre are to preserve packing and store fruit and vegetables surpluses for export during seasonal gluts in the region to increase fruits and vegetable export opportunities. The introduction of agro-food based common facility centre enable to minimise the post harvest losses that are estimated 35 percent in fresh fruits and vegetables, to develop national manufacturing capacity to support the fruit and vegetables growers in processing and value-addition of the produce, provision of consultancy services regarding value-addition and processing of fruits and vegetables to the local growers and ensure employment opportunities for local skilled and unskilled work force including women folk of the area.
The proposed centre will extend facilities like fruits and vegetables grading and packing facilities of turnip, cauliflower, tomato, potato, peas, okra, bitter gourd, Kino and guava.