Keeping in view significant export potential in horticulture sector, particularly off-season fruits and vegetables, Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has demanded to adopt latest technology for enhancing export of these high-value products.
The demand was made by the FPCCI Standing Committee's Chairman Ahmad Jawad while talking to a group of reporters here on Sunday.
Mr. Jawad said Pakistan had certain geographical advantages and it was considered a backyard farm of the Central Asian States and the Middle East with remarkable potential for export of agriculture products.
"Horticulture sector has a significant export potential, particularly off-season fruits and vegetables that have a high demand in certain regional markets. There is a need to adopt latest technology to enhance export of these high-value products," he proposed.
He said that due to rich potential of horticulture and agriculture resources in the KP, the provincial government should provide infrastructure, including processing units, modern cold storages under public private partnership. He said that in this regard FPCCI had sent letters to agriculture minister for the consideration before the budget, but no response was received till now. He expressed disappointment on allocation of Rs8.63 billion for the development of agriculture sector in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's budget for 2016-17, because he had expected more.
"We have to understand that small landholdings have adversely impacted crop yields and productivity in the KP," he said adding that small farmers did not have access to sufficient resources to participate in high value-added markets.
The FPCCI official said that there was a large market for traditional crops. However, fluctuating prices didn't always work to the benefit of small-scale farmers.
"The production process in the KP province is supply-driven instead of demand-oriented. Farmers with small holdings are unable to gain direct access to markets," he said pointing to the fact that small-scale farmers had to travel at least 10 miles to reach the nearest market. This makes it difficult for growers to obtain accurate information about consumer prices.
Mr. Jawad maintained only 1.8 million hectares out of 2.96 million hectares of cultivable land in the KP province was being used to grow crops. He said diversification into horticulture (with a potential to provide more income per acre amid higher labour inputs) and rural-based agriculture processing units offered promising avenues for increasing the income of rural households.