Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) has approved Rs 40 million grant to support a number of projects including World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) project for the provision of services for value-addition and marketing of pine nuts (Chalgoza) in Balochistan. The ASF panel, in its 19 meeting, approved the grant for a number of projects, says a spokesman here on Thursday.
'Takht-e-Suleiman' and 'Shin Ghar' areas of the Suleiman Range, which lies at the borders of the NWFP and Balochistan provinces, have 26,000 acres of naturally grown pine tree forest where approximately 100 tons of Pine-Nuts (Chalgoza) is produced every year.
The livelihood of around 5,000 inhabitants of both the areas is highly dependent upon the forest. Chalgoza is harvested and sold in raw form to the middlemen who exploit the situation and make substantial benefit out of it by paying Rs 420 per kg compared to the market price of Rs 720. Since the inhabitants do not get enough money to survive throughout the year, they cut and sell Chalgoza trees for meager sum, for timber, which has resulted into deforestation of a huge area.
World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) intend to invest in a project where the local community will be trained in post-harvesting techniques and mechanically processing and packing the product and will be provided with access to new markets for getting better price, sources in the ASF told Business Recorder.
Other Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will be supported in attaining international certifications including GlobalGAP, BRC and ISO 22000. The SMEs were also supported in obtaining customised expert inputs in running floriculture farms, conducting a market survey and creation of a marketing plan, participation in marketing exhibition and improving supply chain for producing apricot oil.
The SME were provided assistance in setting up nurseries, establishing dairy farms and setting up grapes drying units. Private Sector Extension Service Providers will be supported in initiatives, which will reduce post harvest losses via improved packaging for potatoes and onions, enhance production via improved storage techniques, increase yield of seed potatoes via tissue culture production and Finally, the Appraisal Panel approved grants for mango orchards Owners in order to undertake initiatives, which will increase the yield of orchards and reduce losses at farm level.