ISLAMABAD: Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd (ZTBL) has planted more than 100 Kiwi plants in the capital city aimed at encouraging farmers across the country to grow the high value fruit as a source of cash income.

ZTBL in collaboration with Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University inaugurated the project in farm of the ZTBL during a ceremony attended by ZTBL high ups and agriculture experts of the two institutions.

Kiwifruit consumption is increasing rapidly in Pakistan and it is being imported from China, New Zealand, and Iran.

Kiwifruit contains more vitamins C than an equivalent amount of orange besides, containing high level of potassium, carbohydrates, proteins, and antioxidants.

President ZTBL Muhammad Shahbaz Jameel on the occasion said that lack of awareness, high input cost and unavailability of planting materials have kept our farmers at bay and this is the reason that Kiwifruit plants are not grown in Pakistan.

“We have launched Kiwifruit plantation project only to encourage our farmers that we can do it. ZTBL and experts of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Agriculture University are available to educate our farmers.” The president ZTBL said this was high time to educate our farmers on modern scientific agriculture lines and equip them financially and technically, so that we could reduce our dependency on other countries regarding imports of agriculture products. Jameel informed that farm house of the ZTBL will be converted into incubation (demonstration) centre for students and farmers for ideas sharing as it will boost agriculture and educate farmers about technical know-how of modern agriculture techniques.

Vice Chancellor Pir Mehr Ali Shah Agriculture University Rawalpindi Dr Qamar Zaman said that the high nutritional and medicinal value of Kiwifruits have invited attention of consumers across the world.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021