Commercial production of kidney beans to start soon in Pakistan


https://www.dawn.com/news/1670834

ISLAMABAD: The first-ever production of kidney bean varieties at commercial level will commence soon as the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (Parc) will release six new varieties of common bean varieties in the country.

According to a Parc report made available to Dawn on Friday, the achievement is part of the promotion of common bean cultivation in Pakistan under the five-year project for the promotion of research for productivity enhancement in pulses launched in 2019. The project has been funded by the Public Sector Development Programme with an amount of Rs1,437 million.

The report says shuttle multiplication has been proposed for the promotion of kidney beans in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the spring season and upper regions in the kharif season.

Scientists engaged in the pulse project say Pakistan has become self-sufficient in moong bean as its production was recorded at 267,000 tonnes against the national requirement of 180,000 tonnes.

The major focus of the project is to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses production by increasing the yield of major pulse crops, including chickpea, lentil, moong, mash and kidney beans, by 30 per cent.

Under the umbrella project, till now 3,792 lines have been tested throughout the country in 25 different locations through national uniform yield trials to evaluate and select promising lines for varieties development.

As the country was facing acute shortage of quality seed of pulses, basic and pre-basic seed production has been carried out on about 1,107 acres through which 6,553 tonnes of seed has been produced and distributed among the farmers.

Parc officials say availability of quality seed of improved cultivars is the prime contributing factor towards achieving self-sufficiency in pulses. To ensure this, varietal trials have been conducted in different agro-climatic zones of the country and the seed of identified best varieties was distributed among the farmers.

#Startups bringing #Pakistan's #farming into #digital age. Since October, #farmers in Chak 26 and pilot projects elsewhere have been given free access to the internet—and it is revolutionizing the way they work. #agriculture #technology
https://phys.org/news/2022-01-ups-pakistan-farming-digital-age.html via @physorg_com

Agriculture entrepreneurs are bringing the digital age to Pakistan's farmers, helping them plan crops better and distribute their produce when the time is right.
Until recently, "the most modern machine we had was the tractor", Aamer Hayat Bhandara, a farmer and local councillor behind one such project told AFP in "Chak 26", a village in the agricultural heartland of Punjab province.

Even making mobile phone calls can be difficult in many parts of Pakistan, but since October, farmers in Chak 26 and pilot projects elsewhere have been given free access to the internet—and it is revolutionising the way they work.

Agriculture is the mainstay of Pakistan's economy, accounting for nearly 20 percent of gross domestic product and around 40 percent of the workforce.

It is estimated to be the world's fifth-largest producer of sugarcane, seventh-largest of wheat and tenth-biggest rice grower—but it mostly relies on human labour and lags other big farming nations on mechanisation.

Cows and donkeys rest near a muddy road leading to a pavilion in Chak 26, which is connected to a network via a small satellite dish.

This is the "Digital Dera"—or meeting place—and six local farmers have come to see the computers and tablets that provide accurate weather forecasts, as well as the latest market prices and farming tips.

"I've never seen a tablet before," said Munir Ahmed, 45, who grows maize, potatoes and wheat.

"Before, we relied on the experience of our ancestors or our own, but it wasn't very accurate," added Amjad Nasir, another farmer, who hopes the project "will bring more prosperity".

Apps and apples

Communal internet access is not Bhandara's only innovation.

A short drive away, on the wall of a shed, a modern electronic switch system is linked to an old water pump.

A tablet is now all he needs to control the irrigation on part of the 100 hectares (250 acres) he cultivates—although it is still subject to the vagaries of Pakistan's intermittent power supply.

This year, Bhandara hopes, others will install the technology he says will reduce water consumption and labour.

"Digitising agriculture... and the rural population is the only way to prosper," he told AFP.

At the other end of the supply chain, around 150 kilometres (90 miles) away in Lahore, dozens of men load fruit and vegetables onto delivery bikes at a warehouse belonging to the start-up Tazah, which acts as an intermediary between farmers and traders.

After just four months in operation, the company delivers about 100 tonnes of produce every day to merchants in Lahore and Karachi who place orders via a mobile app.

"Before, the merchant had to get up at 5 am or 5:30 am to buy the products in bulk, at the day's price, and then hassle with transporting them," said Inam Ulhaq, regional manager.

"Tazah brings some order to the madness."

In the Tazah office, several employees manage the orders, but for the time being, purchases are still made by phone, as the part of the application intended for farmers is still in development.

The young company is also tackling a "centuries-old" system that stakeholders are reluctant to change, explains co-founder Abrar Bajwa.

Record investment

Fruit and vegetables often rot during their journey along poorly organised supply chains, says partner Mohsin Zaka, but apps like Tazah make the whole system more efficient.

#Startups bringing #Pakistan's #farming into #digital age. Since October, #farmers in Chak 26 and pilot projects elsewhere have been given free access to the internet—and it is revolutionizing the way they work. #agriculture #technology
https://phys.org/news/2022-01-ups-pakistan-farming-digital-age.html via @physorg_com

Agriculture entrepreneurs are bringing the digital age to Pakistan's farmers, helping them plan crops better and distribute their produce when the time is right.
Until recently, "the most modern machine we had was the tractor", Aamer Hayat Bhandara, a farmer and local councillor behind one such project told AFP in "Chak 26", a village in the agricultural heartland of Punjab province.

Even making mobile phone calls can be difficult in many parts of Pakistan, but since October, farmers in Chak 26 and pilot projects elsewhere have been given free access to the internet—and it is revolutionising the way they work.

Agriculture is the mainstay of Pakistan's economy, accounting for nearly 20 percent of gross domestic product and around 40 percent of the workforce.

It is estimated to be the world's fifth-largest producer of sugarcane, seventh-largest of wheat and tenth-biggest rice grower—but it mostly relies on human labour and lags other big farming nations on mechanisation.

Cows and donkeys rest near a muddy road leading to a pavilion in Chak 26, which is connected to a network via a small satellite dish.

This is the "Digital Dera"—or meeting place—and six local farmers have come to see the computers and tablets that provide accurate weather forecasts, as well as the latest market prices and farming tips.

"I've never seen a tablet before," said Munir Ahmed, 45, who grows maize, potatoes and wheat.

"Before, we relied on the experience of our ancestors or our own, but it wasn't very accurate," added Amjad Nasir, another farmer, who hopes the project "will bring more prosperity".

Apps and apples

Communal internet access is not Bhandara's only innovation.

A short drive away, on the wall of a shed, a modern electronic switch system is linked to an old water pump.

A tablet is now all he needs to control the irrigation on part of the 100 hectares (250 acres) he cultivates—although it is still subject to the vagaries of Pakistan's intermittent power supply.

This year, Bhandara hopes, others will install the technology he says will reduce water consumption and labour.

"Digitising agriculture... and the rural population is the only way to prosper," he told AFP.

At the other end of the supply chain, around 150 kilometres (90 miles) away in Lahore, dozens of men load fruit and vegetables onto delivery bikes at a warehouse belonging to the start-up Tazah, which acts as an intermediary between farmers and traders.

After just four months in operation, the company delivers about 100 tonnes of produce every day to merchants in Lahore and Karachi who place orders via a mobile app.

"Before, the merchant had to get up at 5 am or 5:30 am to buy the products in bulk, at the day's price, and then hassle with transporting them," said Inam Ulhaq, regional manager.

"Tazah brings some order to the madness."

In the Tazah office, several employees manage the orders, but for the time being, purchases are still made by phone, as the part of the application intended for farmers is still in development.

The young company is also tackling a "centuries-old" system that stakeholders are reluctant to change, explains co-founder Abrar Bajwa.

Record investment

Fruit and vegetables often rot during their journey along poorly organised supply chains, says partner Mohsin Zaka, but apps like Tazah make the whole system more efficient.

#Pakistan State Bank to offer discounted commercial lending for on-farm crop #storage. It will enhance the scope of #agriculture financing via EWRF (electronic warehouse receipts financing) for growers, increase crop yields & upgrade their social status. https://www.dawn.com/news/1676587/sbp-to-provide-unlimited-loans-fo...

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is ready to provide unlimited loans for warehouse infrastructure projects in rural areas, central bank governor Dr Reza Baqir said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Launch & Roadshow of Electronic Warehouse Receipt Financing (EWRF) for Maize Crop at Kasur’s district’s Chunian tehsil, the SBP governor said the commercial banks to provide loans for warehouse infrastructure development projects at six per cent markup. The aim is to support and enhance the scope of agri-financing via EWRF for farmers across the country, he added.

Dr Baqir said the central bank’s top priority is to help growers increase their per-acre yields, build and upgrade their social status. “The agriculture sector in Pakistan contributes 40-50pc in our economy (directly and indirectly). Among all growers, 90pc are the small ones out of which only 40pc become able to avail the credit facility.


That is why I have come here to tell the farmers to use the EWR financing facility as this will not only protect their produce but also make you able to get a better price in the market,” he explained.

He said the SBP, in the last fiscal year, had fixed Rs1.5 trillion agri loan target for all banks. However, the banks disbursed Rs1.365tr. This year’s target is Rs1.7tr, he added. The SBP chief requested the investors to come forward and build warehouses in rural areas in a bid to support the farmers.

Earlier he congratulated commercial banks – especially the Bank of Punjab and Habib Bank – on the initiation of EWRF for maize crop and advised them to extend credit to the farmers to full potential and make it easier for them to avail financing.

He said the system designed behind the EWRF is a win-win situation for all the three stakeholders including farmers, banks and the collateral companies as it offers a smooth and reliable process in terms of storage of the produce, receipts creation and provision of credit. He pointed out that last year only 59pc of the credit needs of the farmers were met through banks, which must now increase substantially.

On the occasion, heads of all commercial banks signed the system usage agreement with a private collateral management company that has digitised all of the accredited warehouses to enable farmers to keep their produce there, get EWRs and then apply and receive loans equaling to 70pc of the total production value from any bank within a couple of days. The core objective of the EWRF is not only to provide loans to the farmers but also to hold and protect their produce for a better price in the market.

Moreover, the facility also enables farmers to have a minimum loss of produce since 15-20pc of the total agri production (rice, maize, wheat, etc) goes to waste due to the non-availability of well-maintained warehouses in the rural areas. Lack of warehouses also forces the growers to sell their produce at cheaper rates to the commission agents, middlemen etc.

Senior SBP officials, presidents and CEOs of all commercial banks, senior Punjab government officers, businesspersons, farmers and notables of the area also attended the EWRF launch ceremony.

Pakistan’s Fatima Group inks $1 billion deals with global agriculture giants at Expo 2020 Dubai


https://www.techjuice.pk/pakistans-fatima-group-inks-1-billion-deal...

CMEC as a technology partner, will help with the adaption of climate-smart precision agriculture farm machinery, improved high-yielding seeds, and other crop inputs in Pakistan. In addition, Sarh Attaqnia Company is a key partner that will invest in developing a state-of-the-art agriculture value chain encompassing sustainable production, processing, warehousing, and export marketing of grain crops to help ensure regional food security.

Pakistan has over 20% of its GDP linked with agriculture and about 64% of the human resource associated with it. This collaboration will potentially unlock a tremendous amount of untapped land resources of Pakistan by bringing fallow lands under cultivation for sustainable production of crops like rice, barley, oats, silage bales for livestock, and dairy industry under the Corporate Agriculture Farming initiative. Fatima Group, along with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, is at the Pakistan Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai over the next four days, holding a range of events showcasing its commitment to help ensure regional food security, agricultural innovation, and women empowerment in the agriculture sector of Pakistan.

Fatima Group contributes significantly to the economic development of Pakistan. It was established in 1936 to ensure the trading of commodities and which gradually entered into the manufacturing of various products. The Group has ensured a success story that has spread over seven decades, expanding its horizon from trading to manufacturing. As of now, the Group is engaged in trading of commodities, manufacturing of fertilizers, textiles, sugar, mining and energy.

Pakistan plans to sweeten Middle East exports with blue and blackberry cultivation projects

https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2040971/pakistan

New plant species will be imported from California for mass production in Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan
Pakistan’s soil is rich for the production of blueberry varieties and most heat-tolerant blackberries

KARACHI: The Barani Agriculture Research Institute (BARI), the Punjab government’s agriculture research arm, and Pak Greenland Corporation, an overseas body that focuses on investment in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region, will launch separate cultivation projects to produce blueberries and blackberries in Punjab and GB respectively, with eyes on Middle East exports.

Pakistan’s soil is rich for the production of blueberry varieties and most heat-tolerant blackberries, though the country has not fully utilized its potential.

Now, BARI is working to launch berry cultivation projects in Punjab at a cost of Rs200 million and the Pak Greenland Corporation in GB for Rs157 million.

“We are launching the project to cultivate blueberries and blackberries over 25 acres of land in various parts of Gilgit-Baltistan,” Milad Ul Salman, a Pak Greenland Corporation manager, told Arab News. “The wild varieties of berries are found in abundance in the region, which are mostly consumed domestically and not considered for exports.”

“The varieties we want to produce have been imported from California in the United States. Most of our dried fruits are exported to the gulf countries. We also plan to export these berries to the United Arab Emirates and its neighboring states.”

Salman said his company had mostly acquired barren and rocky land in the remote areas to encourage mass production of the fruits for commercial purposes. The project cost was estimated at Rs200 million, which included the cost to purchase land in Gilgit-Baltistan.

“We have been working on blackberry production for the last six years while we have spent about two years on blueberries on a trial basis,” he said. “After getting encouraging results, we are now moving to launch the project to produce both varieties of berries at a large level through flower pot and drip irrigation cultivation.”

A similar project is also being undertaken by the Barani Institute to mass farm blackberries across the province of Punjab.

“We have submitted a proposal to scale up the project to the Punjab Agricultural Research Board for approval,” Aqeel Feroz, project director for the production of blackberries at the research institute, told Arab News. “We hope it will be approved by June since the cultivation season begins in July.”

Pakistan plans to sweeten Middle East exports with blue and blackberry cultivation projects

https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2040971/pakistan


Like the varieties being planted in Gilgit-Baltistan, the plant species in Punjab have also been imported from California.

“We have already imported some nine fruits, including blackberry, fig, peaches etc., under our high-value fruit crops project,” Feroz said. “The cultivation of blackberry was very successful and now we are multiplying it and encouraging farmers to grow the fruit because it can be monetarily beneficial.”

He added that the project was estimated to cost about Rs157 million, including the cost of distributing blackberry plants among farmers in Punjab.

Speaking about the price differential of berries in GB and Punjab, officials explained that in Gilgit-Baltistan, the prices of berries were much lower than those available in Punjab mainly due to the domestic consumption of the fruits amid their low production.

“Currently, people don’t grow berries for commercial purposes,” Salman said. “This explains why the prices are low. The blueberries are sold for Rs1,500 per kilogram and blackberries for Rs800.”

However, Feroz said blackberries were not easily available in Punjab which pushed their prices as high as Rs3,000 per kilogram there.

Going forward, fruit exporters in Gilgit-Baltistan are seeking government support against shipment delays and for the timely delivery of their produce to the Islamabad Airport.

“Berries are perishable items,” Salman said. “Our fresh fruits are exported from Islamabad, but it takes a lot of time to deliver the shipment to the capital due to lack of trucks. We need the government’s support to cut the waiting period at Islamabad Airport to make timely shipments.”

Blueberries are considered an excellent source of dietary fiber along with vitamins C and K. They also have iron and a number of antioxidants. Blackberries are also nutritious and generally eaten fresh or used in baked goods such as pies.

Pakistani farmers relish better economic gains from growing strawberry, technical guidance improves fruit quality

https://www.app.com.pk/features/farmers-relish-better-economic-gain...

PESHAWAR, Mar 04 (APP):Noor-ul-Islam, a farmer from Sarkai area of Charsadda district, is attaching high hopes of better economic returns from his 20 kanals farm land fully covered with almost ripen strawberry fruit to be ready for harvesting within a fortnight.

“This year strawberry price in market is very attractive, much more than the expectation of farmers who are now hoping of better economic returns in wake of four to five months efforts of growing this mouth-watering fruit,” said Noor-ul-Islam while talking to APP.


According to details collected by this scribe, fruit vendors in Peshawar Saddar area are demanding Rs600 to Rs800 for one kg strawberry, which is usually available in market at a price ranging from Rs200 to Rs350 per kg.


Due to its unique taste, colour and high dietetic value, strawberry has great liking by foodies who wait for its arrival during spring season in the market.


“This spike in price of strawberry is because of improvement of its quality in the wake of technical guidance being provided to farmers by Agriculture Department and some private institutions like Helvatas, a Swiss-based organization,” Noor added.


He said that due to technical guidance in strawberry growing, the quality of fruit is improved many fold while farmers are also saved from losses they faced due to damage caused by weed and climatic changes.


Noor said with introduction of new techniques like mulching, spreading black plastic sheet on ground, to protect plant from weeds and use of small tunnel farming has helped a lot in improving the quality of strawberry which also attracts suitable price in market.


Earlier, “Our strawberry produce was not attractive for fruit dealers due to white color appearance and damage to fruit at lower side that touched the soil.” However, now popular departmental stores in Peshawar, Charsadda and Mardan are making orders in advance for collection of harvest at prices much above from our expectations, Noor added.


This is all because of technical awareness being imparted among farmers by agriculturists and we are thankful to them, he continued.


About expected production from his 20 kanal lands, Noor said around 28000 plants are planted over an area of four kanal and each plant makes an average production of half a kg. So the expected production from 20 kanal lands is around 70,000 kg strawberry, he estimated.


About the price, he said in the beginning, it was very attractive and during peak of production period from mid March to late April reduces due to availability of a lot of fruit in market.


“Strawberry growing has great potential and we are encouraging farmers to concentrate over this fruit due to its better economic benefits,” comments Zia-ul-Islam, Regional Director Agriculture Khyber District.


Talking to APP, Zia-ul-Islam apprised that the runner plant (nurseries) of strawberry were earlier set up only in Swat district due to its cold climate and saplings were supplied to the whole of Pakistan.


However now, he continued, he has introduced the concept of establishing strawberry nursery in Bajaur at Salarzai area and results are very encouraging.


The strawberry grown by using runner ups of Bajaur nurseries had better taste than the fruit of other areas and fetching good market price, Zia claims. He said he is also introducing same concept in Khyber District by starting growing saplings.


Establishment of strawberry nurseries has very great potential in newly merged districts where climate conditions of a number of locations suit its growing and can help a lot in creating livelihood for terrorism affected tribesmen, Zia suggested.

Pakistani farmers relish better economic gains from growing strawberry, technical guidance improves fruit quality

https://www.app.com.pk/features/farmers-relish-better-economic-gain...

Establishment of strawberry nurseries has very great potential in newly merged districts where climate conditions of a number of locations suit its growing and can help a lot in creating livelihood for terrorism affected tribesmen, Zia suggested.


In tribal districts, people had no knowledge about growing strawberry and we are holding farmers meeting to create awareness, Zia added. He said this fruit can benefit farmers of cold as well as tropical regions. As in cold areas nurseries can be established while in sub-tropical regions, farming can be done.

The nursery set up at Bajaur has even supplied runner plants to farming community in Multan besides some areas in KP.


“We have trained a number of farmers in Charsadda district about measures to improve quality of strawberry fruits and the beneficiaries are now making gains of training by improving quality of fruit,” claims Qazi Ajwad from Helvatas organization of Switzerland.


Qazi apprised APP that Helvatas trainers educated farmers about benefits of mulch, tunnel farming and proper arranging of soil ridges for planting saplings. Helvatas, he continued, also purchased few numbers of machines for free distribution that helps farmers in making of soil ridges.


Ajwad concurs with suggestion for creating awareness among farmers to benefit from the potential of strawberry growing which is at present very low in the country.


Nature has blessed Pakistan with favorable climatic conditions for strawberry cultivation and it can be grown a large areas of the country, Qazi Ajwad opined.


The fruit was first introduced in KP in 1980’s and is grown only in few districts including Peshawar, Abbotabad, Mardan, Haripure, Mansehra and Charsadda.

The climatic condition of almost majority of areas in newly merged districts suits for strawberry growing besides runner plants and can bring economic revolution in the lives of farming community of the region if awareness is created and training are imparted to them, Qazi suggested.

Potatoes Exports by Country 2020


https://www.worldstopexports.com/potatoes-exports-by-country/

French fries serve global demand
French fries demand
Global sales from potatoes exports by country amounted to US$4.3 billion during 2020 for spuds in their raw form. In addition, the value of shipments for prepared or preserved potatoes including frozen French fries represents an additional $9.4 billion in international sales.

Overall, the value of exported raw potatoes expanded in value by an average 6.6% for all exporting countries since 2016 when raw potatoes shipments were valued at $4 billion. Total prepared or preserved potatoes shipments including frozen French fries appreciated by 7.2% over the same 5-year period.

Year over year, the value of exported raw potatoes declined by -15.1% from 2019 to 2020. The annual decrease for prepared or preserved potatoes including frozen French fries fell in total value by -9.7%.

For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for raw potatoes is 0701. The 6-digit prefix for frozen prepared or preserved potatoes including French fries is 200410 while 200520 is the 6-digit prefix for unfrozen potatoes prepared or preserved with vinegar or acetic acid.
Potatoes Exports by Country: Raw
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of unprocessed raw potatoes shipped during 2020.

Netherlands: US$825.9 million (19.4% of exported raw potatoes)
France: $684.3 million (16.1%)
Germany: $372.5 million (8.7%)
Canada: $295.9 million (6.9%)
China: $289.7 million (6.8%)
United States: $244.5 million (5.7%)
Belgium: $225.5 million (5.3%)
Egypt: $221.9 million (5.2%)
United Kingdom: $135.9 million (3.2%)
Spain: $115.4 million (2.7%)
India: $71.6 million (1.7%)
Pakistan: $69.8 million (1.6%)
Israel: $60.3 million (1.4%)
Denmark: $54.4 million (1.3%)
Russia: $50.5 million (1.2%)

Pakistan plans to sweeten Middle East exports with blue and blackberry cultivation projects

https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2040971/pakistan


Like the varieties being planted in Gilgit-Baltistan, the plant species in Punjab have also been imported from California.

“We have already imported some nine fruits, including blackberry, fig, peaches etc., under our high-value fruit crops project,” Feroz said. “The cultivation of blackberry was very successful and now we are multiplying it and encouraging farmers to grow the fruit because it can be monetarily beneficial.”

He added that the project was estimated to cost about Rs157 million, including the cost of distributing blackberry plants among farmers in Punjab.

Speaking about the price differential of berries in GB and Punjab, officials explained that in Gilgit-Baltistan, the prices of berries were much lower than those available in Punjab mainly due to the domestic consumption of the fruits amid their low production.

“Currently, people don’t grow berries for commercial purposes,” Salman said. “This explains why the prices are low. The blueberries are sold for Rs1,500 per kilogram and blackberries for Rs800.”

However, Feroz said blackberries were not easily available in Punjab which pushed their prices as high as Rs3,000 per kilogram there.

Going forward, fruit exporters in Gilgit-Baltistan are seeking government support against shipment delays and for the timely delivery of their produce to the Islamabad Airport.

“Berries are perishable items,” Salman said. “Our fresh fruits are exported from Islamabad, but it takes a lot of time to deliver the shipment to the capital due to lack of trucks. We need the government’s support to cut the waiting period at Islamabad Airport to make timely shipments.”

Blueberries are considered an excellent source of dietary fiber along with vitamins C and K. They also have iron and a number of antioxidants. Blackberries are also nutritious and generally eaten fresh or used in baked goods such as pies.

The Pakistan Honey Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.41% in the forecast period, 2023-2027, to reach USD451.77 million by 2027.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/03/16/2404413/0/en/...

Changing consumer preference towards consumption of healthier sugar substitutes and natural sweeteners and the health benefits of honey, including the presence of anti-cancer agents, are the primary factors driving the growth of the Pakistan Honey Market.

Also, the increased demand from the cosmetics and personal care industry and ongoing adoption of advanced beekeeping techniques by the market players are the other factors that are expected to create lucrative growth opportunities for the Pakistan Honey Market in the forecast period.

Consumers are becoming health-conscious and aware of the health-damaging properties of sugar and artificial sweeteners, which have created the demand for natural sweeteners. Honey can be used as an excellent substitute instead of white sugar, and it provides several health benefits to the consumer.

Honey also has anti-fungal, antibacterial, and anti-viral properties and, therefore, is considered an effective medicine to treat cough, cold, and throat infections. Also, favorable government initiatives such as the "Billion Tree Honey Initiative" and plantation of trees to boost the local bee population and honey production are expected to fuel the growth of the Pakistan Honey Market in the forecast period.

The Pakistan Honey Market can be segmented into product, type, pack size, packaging, distribution channel, application, regional distribution, and company. Based on the product, the market is bifurcated into natural/organic honey v/s processed honey.

Natural/organic honey is leading the market with a market share of 82.26%, and is expected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Natural/organic honey is preferred over its counterpart as it has enhanced antioxidant properties and can be stored for a longer duration.

Major market players operating in the Pakistan Honey Market

Natural Swat Bee Honey
Simply the Great Food
Forest Honey
Shifaheillahi Natural Honey
Nature's Store
My Honey
Organic Honey
Sunbulah Group (Al-Shifa Honey)
Buzzin Beez
Pakeeza Honey Center
Report Scope:

Years considered for this report:

Historical Years: 2017-2020
Base Year: 2021
Estimated Year: 2022
Forecast Period: 2023-2027
Pakistan Honey Market, By Product:

Natural/Organic Honey
Processed Honey
Pakistan Honey Market, By Type:

Acacia
Sidr
Orange Blossom
Ajwain
Clover
Others
Pakistan Honey Market, By Pack Size:

500gm
1000gm and Above
200-250gm
Pakistan Honey Market, By Packaging:

Jar
Bottles
Pouch
Others
Pakistan Honey Market, By Distribution Channel:

Supermarket/Hypermarket
Convenience Stores
Online
Others
Pakistan Honey Market, By Application:

Food & Beverage
Personal Care and Cosmetics
Pharmaceuticals
Others
Pakistan Honey Market, By Region:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Punjab
Sindh
Others
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1ndlma

Banana production increases in Pakistan


https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9400710/banana-production-increa...

The production of bananas in Pakistan has increased during past few years after the successful experiments of tissue culture of Chinese imported plants. Dr. Alam Riaz from the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) said Pakistan produced twelve different varieties of bananas from Chinese plants that were imported in 2009.

Riaz said one million plants of these varieties were harvested on the left bank of Sindh province in 2012 and out of these two species provided extraordinary results which were approved by Sindh Seed Council for commercial growth.

“Pakistan is producing 150,000 tons banana per year. Banana production will be increased to 700,000 tons in coming years as the PARC is producing 50,000 and the private sector is growing 500,000 to 600,000 tissue cultured plants every year for commercial yield,” he added.

PARC conducted special banana producing labs in Karachi and Thatha where a single plant was sold for 60 rupees and the commercial sector sold the tissue cultured new variety at 100 rupees per plant, he added.

Pakistan: Avocado plantations part of climate-resilient crops campaign

https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9399692/pakistan-avocado-plantat...

As a number of crops in Pakistan are being affected by climate change, PARC (the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council) intends to fill the gap with climate-resilient crops. According to PARC Programme Leader of Fruit Crops, Dr Alam, avocado plantations are part of that programme.

Alam has stated that PARC was determined to help grow avocadoes at the commercial level after successfully producing 12 suitable varieties of the fruit through grafting according to climatic conditions of the region.

Alam: “In 1994, Pakistan had only two varieties of avocados but the number has now improved to 12, of which some are providing more fruit than the mother plants, which will be soon available for commercial farming. Plants of avocados are high in demand.”

Feature: Pakistani farmers eye sweet cherries' access to Chinese market

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/asiapacific/2021-06/17/c_131001360...

According to Pakistan's Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, cherry is grown at over 2,500 hectares of land in Pakistan with Gilgit-Baltistan and the southwestern Balochistan province being the two major cherry producing areas of the country, and Pakistan's collective yield of cherry in 2016 was over 6,000 tons.

Pakistan is currently not so competitive in terms of cherry production and processing as compared to some countries in the world, but the situation could get better if farmers in the cherry-growing areas are given proper guidance, knowledge and technology to meet the demands of international markets, experts say.

Pakistani cherry has not been so far able to reach any international market, except being sold in a few markets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), because local farmers do not know the process and procedures to register their products in the international markets. And due to lack of knowledge, it is hard for them to get international certifications to have an access to foreign high-end trading hubs.

Zulfiqar Ali Ghazi, 47, grows cherries in Gilgit and also exports the fruit to the UAE after collecting it from locals.

Ghazi, who has been associated with the cherry production and distribution business for more than one and a half decade, said in a conversation with Xinhua that currently there are 19 varieties of cherries in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, and only a few of them are suitable for export.

The government gave away many cherry plants to farmers this year to enhance the fruit production in the area and to support locals, he said, adding that it is the right time to focus on growing the varieties which are being demanded in international markets.

"The government should work on getting the international certificates to approve exports of cherries and help us develop a cold chain to preserve the cherries whose current shelf life is seven to 10 days. Pakistani cherries have a huge potential, but they need urgent concentration and support to make their mark in international markets," he said.

Talking to Xinhua, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam said that the cherry fruit has not made any significant entry into the international market despite having potential and the government is devising plans to uplift the agricultural sector which will eventually benefit all farmers including the cherry producers.

"Distinctive flavor of our fruits will have an impact on high-end markets, and to achieve that target, we must have a system to regulate the standard and quality of cherries to meet the requirements of international markets, eventually leading to a greater international demand for it," he said.

Pakistan's cherry production is small due to which it is not eyeing so many foreign markets except China which is a big consumer market for cherries, the minister said, adding that the cooperation between the two countries in agriculture under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will also encourage Chinese investors to invest in the country.

"Many Chinese have shown interest in investing in Pakistan and if they invest in cherry growing areas in the form of corporate farming, value addition and food processing, it will not only give benefit to the investors, but will also be a win-win situation for local public too."

Cherry prices stand high in the Chinese market, and once Pakistani cherries enter the country, it will give a big profit margin to local farmers and others around them to increase planting, the minister added.

Worth of fruits grows manifold after drying them, brewing juices from them or making jam and jelly to enhance their value addition.

BEIJING: Mulberry is well received in both China and Pakistan. On this kind of fruit that is a little “low-key”, unlike mango or cherry, cooperation between China and Pakistan is also in progress. Chinese seeds and technologies are helping Pakistan elevate its exports of mulberry products. Mulberry tree is a “versatile” plant. Besides fruit, mulberry’s leaves, wood, branches and roots all have their own uses. In particular, mulberry leaves are not only raw materials for tea, but also the main source of feed for silkworms.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/907535/chinese-seeds-technology-help-paki...

“Mulberry leaf tea is popular in China, Japan and Thailand, etc. It has anti-cancer properties. It controls blood sugar. It moderates insulin level. It controls blood pressure in our blood system. It is good for liver, too. It is “miracle tea,” said Malik Mohsin Abbas, Principal Scientist at the Horticulture Research Institute, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute. In Pakistan, fast-growing mulberry trees, from small to medium-sized, are mainly cultivated all over Punjab and KPK.

Pakistan is suitable for developing the mulberry industry especially mulberry tea. Because of the hot climate, it usually takes about merely 10 months for a mulberry tree to grow well. Pakistani people can harvest mulberry leaves several times within one year.

However, not any mulberry leaves can be made into good tea. The quality of mulberry tea depends on leaf varieties, fresh leaf tenderness, production season and processing technology. Generally speaking, only mulberry leaves and buds of certain varieties and high tenderness can become good mulberry tea. The mature mulberry leaves used for sericulture are not suitable for making tea.

In Pakistan, mulberry seeds are mainly imported. According to Pakistani agricultural expert, Chinese seeds perform better in Pakistan than the ones from some other countries.

“Since 2018, we have got the access from China. Now we are importing mulberry seeds from China. The quality of Chinese seeds is better than Bulgarian ones we used to import. The output and resistance are better,” said Muhammad Farooq Bhatti, Deputy Director of Sericulture, Punjab Forest Department Lahore.

After years of research, China has successfully bred special mulberry varieties specifically for making tea and developed more advanced processing technology.

“We have carried out some research on mulberry tea, mainly on the influence of processing technology on the content of active ingredients in mulberry tea, and on the selection of mulberry varieties which are suitable for making tea. I think China and Pakistan can cooperate more in this sector,” Lin Tianbao, Director of Research Center at the Institute of Sericulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences told CEN.

For sericulture, Chinese mulberry seeds and technologies have also been introduced overseas like Uzbekistan to help boost local production.

“The way we work with Uzbekistan also applies to Pakistan. In our cooperation with Uzbekistan, we are responsible for selecting new varieties of excellent mulberries and silkworms that are suitable for cultivation and breeding, as well as providing corresponding supporting techniques.”

“Uzbekistan carries out the cultivation and demonstration of mulberry and silkworm varieties according to our requirements, provides test reports in a timely manner, and gives feedback on new problems they meet during production.”

“We send relevant scientific and technical personnel to them from time to time every year to provide technical training, demonstration guidance and technical consultation in mulberry planting, new variety demonstration and promotion, silkworm variety test demonstration, etc., so as to quickly solve problems in production,” Lin Tianbao concluded.

Sorghum cooperation to enter CPEC

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2349845/sorghum-cooperation-to-enter-cpec

Sorghum is a multi-purpose crop that can play an important role in food and fodder provision. By tapping its potential jointly, China wishes to bring sorghum cooperation into the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and benefit the people of both sides.

These views were shared by experts in the Symposium on Sorghum Industry Development of China and Pakistan, organised by the Belt and Road International Institute of Scientific and Technological Innovation of Sorghum Industry, Sorghum Research Institute, Shanxi Agricultural University and National Sorghum Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, China.

The major use for sorghum is in livestock feed for various animals. Processed sorghum can be used as floating fish food or steam flakes for ruminants at large feedlots.

“In addition, it might be considered as a crop that contributes to food security as it outperforms other cereals under harsh environmental conditions and it is economical to produce,” said Sindh Agriculture University Institute of Food Sciences and Technology Assistant Professor Dr Shahzor Gul.

“They are an important source of food and fodder, especially in the hot and dry areas of the country.”

In environmental conditions that are too harsh for other cereals to produce grains, sorghum is a viable choice. These regions are characterised by erratic distribution of annual rainfall, high mean temperature and depleted soil fertility.

As a tropical plant, it has remarkable adaptability to various climates and soils except saline and waterlogged soils and it can withstand heat and drought stress better than maize.

Dear Riaz Sb.

Mashallah. We are headed in the right direction after a long time.

Just wanted to let you know of a wonderful new company out of Pakistan, www.remotebase.com

Thank you.

~Akhtar.

Pakistan’s Sugarcane Yield This Year Will Result in a Big Decrease in Sugar Prices
By Ahsan Gardezi | Published Oct 12, 2021 | 6:33 pm

https://propakistani.pk/2021/10/12/pakistans-sugarcane-yield-this-y...


Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Food Security, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, revealed on Tuesday that the government expects sugarcane yield to exceed 100 million tonnes this year.

The government estimates to produce 9 million tonnes of sugar with the bumper sugarcane crop, and sugar prices are expected to start declining from 1st November onwards. Presently, the national sugar demand sits at 6.1 million tonnes, but the surplus produce this year will meet the country’s needs for a year and a half, he said.

Detailing the specifics, the SAPM on Food Security explained that the government had taken swift notice of the struggling sugarcane farmers and initiated urgent measures to help address their issues in a timely manner. Moreover, he mentioned the importance of targeted subsidies on basic food items and said the government is taking all possible measures to aptly manage the prices of sugar, ghee, and pulses, to lessen the burden on the people. “Prices of sugar, ghee, and pulses will come down soon like flour prices,” he remarked.

“Sugar will be sold at Rs. 80 or less under the control and monitoring of the government so that no one can sell it at expensive rates,” he said. Further adding, “At present, we are supplying sugar at Rs. 90 per kg, which is much less than the international market. Next year, we will sell sugar at a lower price with a clear difference in the global market.”

The SAPM on Food Security said the government would award numerous incentives for the production of sugarcane, and sugar mills and traders would be able to earn and help configure justified rates for farmers.

He also remarked that the minimum and maximum prices of sugarcane and sugar would be fixed, and the price of all food items would be decided in accordance with the purchasing power of the people.

Production begins at $6.36m UAE-funded dates project in Panjgur
Pakistan is the sixth largest producer of dates in the world, with a production capacity of 556,000 tons per year.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/953174-production-begins-at-6-36m-...


The UAE-Pakistan Assistance Programme (UAE PAP) has announced to start commercial production at a dates processing factory in Panjgur, Balochistan, which was built at a cost of $6.36 million, the UAE official news agency WAM said.

Pakistan is the sixth largest producer of dates in the world, with a production capacity of 556,000 tons per year. The project was built over an area of 5,710 square metres, adhering to the highest international specifications and standards, in terms of processing, packaging and storing of dates. It includes 15 production lines with a capacity of four tons per hour or more than 32,000 tons per day and contains refrigeration that can store up to 1,500 tons of ready-made dates. The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) had funded the project under the UAE-Pakistan Assistance Programme (UAE PAP). Since 2013, total financing that Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) offered for the projects in Pakistan reached $220 million.

Speaking on the occasion, the Director of UAE PAP Abdullah Khalifa Al Ghafli said the start of production at Panjgur dates processing factory coincides with the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramazan and the urgent need of high quality dates as a main food item at the time of Iftar.

Al Ghafli hailed the support of the UAE’s leadership for the humanitarian programmes and development projects that his organisation has been implementing in Pakistan, highlighting the UAE’s pioneering strategy in the field of humanitarian work. Number of farmers in Balochistan expressed their joy over the opening of Panjgur dates processing factory, which will help them market their date products. The farmers also thanked the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan for their support at a difficult time of crises and hardship through the implementation of initiatives and development projects.

Pakistan Set to Become Olive Council Member

https://www.oliveoiltimes.com/business/pakistan-to-become-olive-cou...

Pakistani government representatives met with officials from the International Olive Council (IOC) in Madrid recently to announce that the South Asian country will become its 19th member.

The IOC’s goal is to plant tens of millions of trees and make Pakistan a relevant olive oil producer in the region. The country is already involved in a multi-year nationwide effort to expand local olive production.

According to Juan Vilar Strategic Consultants, Pakistan produces about 1,500 tons of olive oil per annum and 830 tons of table olives, all of which are destined for domestic consumption.

“Pakistan feels the need to connect with the council as they are developing their olive sector and their internal olive oil consumption grows,” Abdellatif Ghedira, the IOC’s executive director, told Olive Oil Times.

“In Pakistan, olive oil culture is making inroads, and so are the opportunities related to that,” he added. “The council is a decisive player in contributing to the sustainable and responsible development of olive growing, and it serves as a world forum for discussing policymaking issues and tackling present and future challenges.”

The nationwide Ten Billion Tree Tsunami project launched by the government to tackle some of the effects of climate change such as soil erosion and desertification complements the olive expansion projects meant to bring new opportunities to farmers.

The reforestation project, considered by the United Nations one of the most ambitious on a global scale, aims at restoring and enhancing more than one million hectares of forest by the end of 2023.

Today Pakistan’s forest covers only five percent of the country, compared with a 23 percent global average. Planting fruit tree crops, such as olives, is an environmentally and economically-friendly way to achieve this goal.

The second phase of the national olive project, which started 12 years ago, will add 10 million new olive trees in the next three years.

Given the unique characteristics of the olive tree, often thriving in areas way more challenging for other crops, government officials believe that olive farming is an efficient answer both to reforestation needs and economic development.

“A special focus in this phase will be given to underprivileged areas of the country, such as Southern Balochistan, Southern Punjab, the tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some parts of Sindh province,” Muhammad Tariq, national project director at the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, told Olive Oil Times.

Thanks to cooperation projects with some of the IOC’s European members, such as Spain and Italy, and with foreign support from China, local growers are experimenting with many different olive varieties, such as Pendolino, Frantoio, Picual and Arbequina.

---------------

The IOC currently has 18 state members including the European Union. These states account for over 98 per cent of the world's olive production. The following states of the IOC are below (the year of the state's first ratification of one of the Agreements is included; an asterisk indicates that the state was a founding member of the IOOC):

Albania (2009)
Algeria (1963)
Argentina (2009)
Egypt (1964)
European Union*[1]
Georgia (2019)
Iran (2004)
Israel* (1958)
Jordan (2002)
Lebanon (1973)
Libya* (1956)
Montenegro (2007)
Morocco (1958)
Palestine (2017)
Tunisia* (1956)
Turkey (2010)
Uruguay (2013)
Uzbekistan (2021)

Pakistan became largest supplier of potatoes to Uzbekistan

https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9404866/pakistan-became-largest-...

In January 2022, Uzbekistan imported 41,000 tons of potatoes, which is 953 tons or 2.3% less than in that same period of 2021. However, the volume of imports of these products remains high compared to January of previous years; 68% more than in the same period in 2020 and 85% more than in January 2019.

According to the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, Pakistan became the largest supplier of potatoes in January 2022, its share in total imports amounted to 51% (21.100 tons). Following him in the list of main supplying countries are: Kazakhstan – 21% (8.500 tons), Iran – 10% (4.100 tons), Kyrgyzstan – 7% (3,000 tons) and Afghanistan – 7% (3,000 tons).

In January 2022, potato imports from Kazakhstan in volume terms decreased by 3.7 times compared to 31.400 tons in January 2021. One of the main reasons for such a sharp decline in the exports of these products from Kazakhstan was the decision of the country’s government to temporarily ban potatoes.

Potatoes are one of the major crops in Pakistan that has high consumption and nutritious value. The initiative has successfully taken several measures to increase the average yield per acre. The potential is huge that would be maximized by using advanced production technology. New scientific knowledge and crop management techniques will help farmers to combat challenges including climate variation, and pest, and disease control. Women’s engagement and capacity building in best agricultural practices including sustainable and safe use of pesticides is the crosscutting edge of the initiative.

https://mmnews.tv/climate-smart-potato-production/

The project districts generate over 95 percent of potato production that has started increasing in one year after the significant measures were taken by a team of expert researchers from the Wageningen University, Netherlands. As many as 24 master trainers including 8 women have been trained on a technical manual prepared by the Wageningen University. Some 24 demonstration plots have been established in the project district by the CABI master trainers and Wageningen University experts that represent Dutch best practices in climate-smart potato production. A baseline survey was also conducted to assess current production practices and to identify the constraints and challenges faced by farmers, especially by women farmers in the early stage of the initiative. Seed selection is the key to potato production. More than 600 farmers including women have given on-field training including demonstration plots’ visits.

Advance production practices and crop monitoring is being performed by the district master trainers under the guidance of the CABI and the Wageningen University experts. All the interventions are supported by information material and technical knowledge in the Urdu language. Local government, communities, and other key stakeholders like the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Potato Research Institute, Sahiwal, Department of Agriculture Extension, Potato Research and Development Board, and Potato Growers Cooperative Society Pakistan have been engaged for larger ownership of the best practices and to replicate them.

Several interventions are in pipeline with the support of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and its subordinate organizations. It is just about one major crop – potato production making it climate-smart. Many more shall be on the agenda to make Pakistan a nationally food secure country.

The writer is a freelance journalist and broadcaster, and Director Devcom-Pakistan. He can be reached at devcom.pakistan@gmail.com and tweets @EmmayeSyed

Cultivation of potatoes in Pakistan

https://www.agricopotatoes.com/news/potato-cultivation-pakistan

In recent years, the potato has become a valuable product for both the Pakistani farmer and the consumer. The potato is of high nutritional value and cultivation is particularly sustainable because the potato plant produces more food faster on less land, using less water, than any other important food crop.

Both red and white flesh potato varieties are grown in Pakistan. Most Pakistani farmers depend on certified seed potatoes that ensure a healthy, strong, and virus-free crop.

Succesful varieties
Pakistani farmers have a strong interest in reliable potato varieties from high-quality, certified seed potatoes. The Agrico varieties Constance, Vogue, Kuroda, Esmee, Rudolph and Alouette therefore play an important role in Pakistan. These varieties are grown for the local market and for household consumption. They are an important source of income for local farmers.

Working with high-quality materials helps local farmers to be confident of meeting the specified quality requirements. This frequently opens the doors to interesting export and sales opportunities.

The correct variety properties
The varieties that are used have various advantages. For example, the potatoes have the right properties, such as shape, eye depth, skin and flesh color, dormancy, and flavor. The healthy uniform tubers have good emergence, soil coverage and high yield. The varieties are therefore grown on a large scale. The size of the crop and the number of stems per plant are also important factors for the huge success of this variety.

In addition, our varieties have good drought tolerance, high herbicide tolerance and are resistant to viruses and fungi, such as Phytophthora Infestans, wart disease and PCN (potato cyst nematode). This results in an increase in yields and a reduction in costs because the local farmers have to use fewer crop-protection products, personnel, and machines to keep the crop healthy.

Along with our agent, Stamex International, Agrico has been working for decades on the further development and introduction of our Agrico varieties and, in recent years, we have seen that the Next Generation varieties are also finding their niche.

Tea Imports by Country
by Daniel Workman

https://www.worldstopexports.com/tea-imports-by-country/

Global purchases of imported tea totaled US$6.7 billion in 2020.

The overall value of tea imported by all buyer countries shrank by an average -2.1% since 2016 when tea purchases cost $6.8 billion. From 2019 to 2020, the total dollar amount for imported tea slipped by -5.5% from 2019 to 2020.

The 5 most valuable import markets for tea (Pakistan, United States, Russia, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia) accounted for almost a third (31.1%) of the worldwide sales of imported tea in 2020.

From a continental perspective, Asian countries bought the most imported tea during 2020 with purchases costing $2.9 billion or 43.7% of the worldwide total. In second place were European countries at 29.3% while 14.4% of all tea imports were delivered to customers in Africa.

Smaller percentages went to North America (9.1%), Oceania (2%) led by Australia and New Zealand, and Latin America (1.5%) excluding Mexico.

For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for tea is 0902.
Tea Imports by Country

Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of tea during 2020.
Pakistan: US$589.8 million (8.9% of total imported tea)
United States: $473.8 million (7.1%)
Russia: $412.2 million (6.2%)
United Kingdom: $348.7 million (5.2%)
Saudi Arabia: $243.6 million (3.7%)
Iran: $236.3 million (3.5%)
Hong Kong: $221.8 million (3.3%)
Morocco: $202.3 million (3%)
Egypt: $197.2 million (3%)
Germany: $195 million (2.9%)
China: $180 million (2.7%)
France: $168.1 million (2.5%)
United Arab Emirates: $164.9 million (2.5%)
Japan: $156.6 million (2.4%)
Iraq: $134.7 million (2%)
Among the above countries, 4 markets for tea imports grew since 2019 namely: Hong Kong (up 19%), Pakistan (up 18.7%), Saudi Arabia (up 2.9%) and France (up 0.7%).

Those countries that posted declines in their imported tea purchases were led by: Iran (down -39.9%), Egypt (down -28.7%), Iraq (down -23%) and United Arab Emirates (down -21.7%).

By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 58.9% of all tea imported in 2020.

Palm Oil Imports by Country
by Daniel Workman

https://www.worldstopexports.com/palm-oil-imports-by-country/

International purchases of imported palm oil cost an estimated total US$33.8 billion in 2020.

Overall, the value of palm oil imports increased by 19% for all importing countries since 2016 when international purchases of palm oil cost $28.4 billion. From 2019 to 2020, globally imported palm oil appreciated 12%.

An edible vegetable oil, palm oil is derived from the reddish pulp of oil palm plant fruit. Palm oil is a highly saturated vegetable fat used for lower-cost cooking, blending into mayonnaise and as a butter substitute. Palm oil is also an ingredient for biodiesel fuels.

The 5 biggest importers of palm oil (India, China, Pakistan, Netherlands, Spain) bought 43.2% of total palm oil purchased via international markets in 2020.

From a continental perspective, Asian countries imported the highest dollar worth of palm oil during 2020 with purchases valued at $17.7 billion or over half (52.3%) of the global total. In second place were European importers at 24.8% while a fast-growing 15.7% of palm oil imported worldwide was delivered to Africa.

Smaller percentages went to customers in North America (4.3%), Latin America (2.5%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.3%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 1515 for palm oil and its refractions, whether or not refined.

India: US$5.1 billion (15.1% of total imported palm oil)
China: $4.1 billion (12.2%)
Pakistan: $2.1 billion (6.2%)
Netherlands: $1.9 billion (5.5%)
Spain: $1.4 billion (4.1%)
Italy: $1.2 billion (3.7%)
United States: $1.1 billion (3.2%)
Bangladesh: $896.9 million (2.7%)
Kenya: $829.6 million (2.5%)
Russia: $793.2 million (2.3%)
Egypt: $732.5 million (2.2%)
Vietnam: $694.7 million (2.1%)
Malaysia: $657.1 million (1.9%)
Myanmar: $645.3 million (1.9%)
Germany: $599.1 million (1.8%)
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for palm oil since 2019 were: Myanmar (up 660.4%), Kenya (up 59.2%), Vietnam (up 30.8%) and Italy (up 20.2%).

Only one top country posted a decline in its imported palm oil purchases namely India thanks to its -5.4% drop.

By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 67.4% of all palm oil imported in 2020.

Our total consumption of wheat and atta is about 125kg per capita per year. Our per person per day calorie intake has risen from about 2,078 in 1949-50 to 2,400 in 2001-02 and 2,580 in 2020-21

By Riaz Riazuddin former deputy governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.


https://www.dawn.com/news/1659441/consumption-habits-inflation

As households move to upper-income brackets, the share of spending on food consumption falls. This is known as Engel’s law. Empirical proof of this relationship is visible in the falling share of food from about 48pc in 2001-02 for the average household. This is an obvious indication that the real incomes of households have risen steadily since then, and inflation has not eaten up the entire rise in nominal incomes. Inflation seldom outpaces the rise in nominal incomes.

Coming back to eating habits, our main food spending is on milk. Of the total spending on food, about 25pc was spent on milk (fresh, packed and dry) in 2018-19, up from nearly 17pc in 2001-01. This is a good sign as milk is the most nourishing of all food items. This behaviour (largest spending on milk) holds worldwide. The direct consumption of milk by our households was about seven kilograms per month, or 84kg per year. Total milk consumption per capita is much higher because we also eat ice cream, halwa, jalebi, gulab jamun and whatnot bought from the market. The milk used in them is consumed indirectly. Our total per person per year consumption of milk was 168kg in 2018-19. This has risen from about 150kg in 2000-01. It was 107kg in 1949-50 showing considerable improvement since then.

Since milk is the single largest contributor in expenditure, its contribution to inflation should be very high. Thanks to milk price behaviour, it is seldom in the news as opposed to sugar and wheat, whose price trend, besides hurting the poor is also exploited for gaining political mileage. According to PBS, milk prices have risen from Rs82.50 per litre in October 2018 to Rs104.32 in October 2021. This is a three-year rise of 26.4pc, or per annum rise of 8.1pc. Another blessing related to milk is that the year-to-year variation in its prices is much lower than that of other food items. The three-year rise in CPI is about 30pc, or an average of 9.7pc per year till last month. Clearly, milk prices have contributed to containing inflation to a single digit during this period.

Next to milk is wheat and atta which constitute about 11.2pc of the monthly food expenditure — less than half of milk. Wheat and atta are our staple food and their direct consumption by the average household is 7kg per capita (84kg per capita per year). As we also eat naan from the tandoors, bread from bakeries etc, our indirect consumption of wheat and atta is 41kg per capita. Our total consumption of wheat and atta is about 125kg per capita per year. Our per person per day calorie intake has risen from about 2,078 in 1949-50 to 2,400 in 2001-02 and 2,580 in 2020-21. The per capita per day protein intake in grams increased from 63 to 67 to about 75 during these years. Does this indicate better health? To answer this, let us look at how we devour ghee and sugar. Also remember that each person requires a minimum of 2,100 calories and 60g of protein per day.

Undoubtedly, ghee, cooking oil and sugar have a special place in our culture. We are familiar with Urdu idioms mentioning ghee and shakkar. Two relate to our eating habits. We greet good news by saying ‘Aap kay munh may ghee shakkar’, which literally means that may your mouth be filled with ghee and sugar. We envy the fortune of others by saying ‘Panchon oonglian ghee mei’ (all five fingers immersed in ghee, or having the best of both worlds). These sayings reflect not only our eating trends, but also the inflation burden of the rising prices of these three items — ghee, cooking oil and sugar. Recall any wedding dinner. Ghee is floating in our plates.

A Heat Wave’s Lamented Victim: The Mango, India’s King of Fruits
Blistering spring temperatures have devastated crops of the country’s most beloved fruit. “The soul of a farmer shudders at seeing these fruitless trees,” one grower said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/25/world/asia/india-heat-wave-mango...

India is the world’s largest mango producer, accounting for nearly 50 percent of the global crop. Much of it is consumed domestically, but the country exports tens of millions of dollars’ worth of mangoes each year to the United Arab Emirates, Britain, Germany and the United States. Over the past decade, India has been trying to penetrate markets in other European Union countries as well.

In the past, export growth has been limited by the higher costs of Indian mangoes compared with those from countries like Brazil, Peru, Israel and Pakistan. India has been striving to increase productivity, which would lower costs.

Even before the extreme heat, India’s mango exports had been badly damaged by the supply chain disruptions of the pandemic, with shipments abroad shrinking by almost 50 percent last year. India’s top export organization had hoped for a big turnaround this year as the Indian and U.S. governments eased trade rules.

A Heat Wave’s Lamented Victim: The Mango, India’s King of Fruits
Blistering spring temperatures have devastated crops of the country’s most beloved fruit. “The soul of a farmer shudders at seeing these fruitless trees,” one grower said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/25/world/asia/india-heat-wave-mango...

India is the world’s largest mango producer, accounting for nearly 50 percent of the global crop. Much of it is consumed domestically, but the country exports tens of millions of dollars’ worth of mangoes each year to the United Arab Emirates, Britain, Germany and the United States. Over the past decade, India has been trying to penetrate markets in other European Union countries as well.

In the past, export growth has been limited by the higher costs of Indian mangoes compared with those from countries like Brazil, Peru, Israel and Pakistan. India has been striving to increase productivity, which would lower costs.

Even before the extreme heat, India’s mango exports had been badly damaged by the supply chain disruptions of the pandemic, with shipments abroad shrinking by almost 50 percent last year. India’s top export organization had hoped for a big turnaround this year as the Indian and U.S. governments eased trade rules.

Edible oil: How double whammy of price hike is frying consumers


https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/957838-edible-oil-how-double-whamm...

During 2019, Pakistan imported 2.69 million tonnes of soybean and canola oilseed, valued at $1.10 billion. In addition to this, 2.55 million tonnes of palm oil and other byproducts were also imported during the same year, costing another $1.53 billion in the same year.

The import of oilseed swelled to 3.33 million tonnes in the 2021 calendar year with a price tag of $1.98 billion. Similarly, palm oil and other derivatives' imports during the same year ballooned to 2.98 million tonnes, costing $3.74 billion.

The ordeal of consumers because of the backbreaking inflation seems dying hard as prices are yet to peak, said market insiders. In the last couple of months of political instability alone, rupee has devalued to Rs193.70 or by 8.82 percent against dollar, which may further inflate the edible oil price by about Rs25/litre in the retail market in a fortnight or so.

The impact of recent three upward revisions in edible oil’s retail price is stated to be in addition to such cost escalation, according to market insiders.

Ban imposed by Indonesia on palm oil and other byproducts’ export, Ukraine-Russia war, and prolonged heatwave may also negatively contribute to the cost of edible oil, further straining the livelihoods of people in this part of the word.

In order to tame cooking oil prices, Pakistan needs to convert this crisis into an opportunity by incentivising cultivation of edible oil. Neighbouring India is doing the same and has succeeded in increasing domestic production.

It is a sheer lack of good governance that no specialised department exists in the public sector both at federal as well as provincial levels for the systematic promotion of oilseed crops in the country.

With Pakistan Oilseed Development Board’s (PODB) scope remaining drastically limited at national level and non-establishment of similar institutions at provincial levels following passage of 18th Amendment, all development work on edible oil sector came to a standstill.

Farmdar, a #Pakistani #agritech #startup raises $1.3 million in seed round. It will provide data to increase farm output. #Pakistan is among the world’s top 10 producers of essential crops such as #sugarcane, #wheat & #rice, but it ranks 50th in yield

https://www.techjuice.pk/farmdar-a-pakistan-based-agritech-raises-1...


Farmdar uses deep-tech with high-res, multi-band satellite imagery to create actionable data for farmers and corporates. This data has a direct result on the efficiency and profitability of farmers and corporates.

The round has been led by Indus Valley Capital with participation by strategic investors from Pakistan, the Middle East, and US, including Deosai Ventures, Tricap Investments, United Distributors Pakistan Limited, The Community Fund VC, LMKR and K2 Global Ventures.

Launched in 2021 by childhood friends Muhammed Bukhari, Muzaffar Manghi and Ibrahim Bokhari who himself is a third-generation large farmer, the Farmdar journey began when the founders started exporting produce and discovered that Pakistani produce was considered low quality in the UK and UAE markets. The founders vowed to do something about it.

“We looked at supply chain improvements first, like cold chain, which allowed us to extend shelf life but our underlying quality was still poor. We then tried remote sensing and precision agriculture technology and it created a step change in quality and yield whilst reducing our input costs” said Ibrahim.

“Pakistan is amongst the top 10 producers in the world for essential crops such as sugarcane, wheat and rice, yet in terms of yield we rank 50th or below. It’s a massive yield gap. Farmdar is in a unique position to help increase yield and quality while reducing farming costs and minimizing waste. Pakistan is well placed to be a regional and global agricultural leader. The starting point for agricultural excellence is data and insight that can be actioned upon, accurately and quickly. That’s where Farmdar comes in.” quotes Manghi.

In light of a rapidly growing global population, the agritech’s vision is to create a food secure world and empower farmers in Pakistan with technology to gain control over their produce and its true value. Inherently, there is a human impact, and to that end many data-points for individual farmers will be free of cost, as is registration on the Farmdar web-app. Corporate farms, food processors, food companies and mills requiring more elaborate data and insight will be engaged with bespoke solutions and subscriptions.

By virtue of yield increase with waste and input reduction, Farmdar’s data also helps reduce the impact of agricultural activity on climate change. Farmdar is the only agritech in Pakistan to be a part of the Greentech Alliance.

“Simply using more land to grow more food isn’t the solution, it’s devastating for climate change” quotes the Muhammed. “Farmdar uses artificial intelligence to create data that helps optimize crop productivity by increasing yield, reducing harvest loss and input costs and monitoring diseases. We knew that this data was of immense value, but were surprised to see the widespread appetite for data both on the individual farmer and the corporate side. Accurate data at scale doesn’t really exist in Pakistan”.

Farmdar’s use of technology with remote sensing through satellites makes their growth scalable and aligns with the vision to solve a global problem of agricultural sustainability. The funding will not only enable Farmdar to scale rapidly across Pakistan and hire and develop the very best tech talent, but also apply use cases from Pakistan in foreign markets such as Thailand, Turkey, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Philippines and across the Middle East.

#Pakistan #poultry industry growing 10-12% a year. 15,000 poultry farms throughout the country with capacities ranging from 5,000 to 500,000 broilers. The industry produces 1.3 million tons of #chicken meat annually. #food #protein #calories https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/06/06/poultry-industry-gro... via @Profitpk

Poultry is one of the fastest-growing industries in Pakistan with investments of about Rs1.1 trillion.

According to the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) report, the industry is the largest agro-based segment, generating employment and income for about 1.5 million people directly and indirectly.

The sector is growing at a fast pace of 10-12% per annum. At present, around Rs190 billion worth of agriculture products are being used by the poultry industry, speeding up the growth in the agriculture sector.

There are estimated 15,000 poultry farms throughout the country with their capacity ranging from 5,000 to 500,000 broilers. Pakistan’s poultry industry produces 1,245 million kilograms of chicken meat annually.

Ali Hasnain, a supervisor of the poultry sector, said that Pakistan’s poultry industry was no less than the international standards. “The poultry industry meets 50% of the total demand for meat in the country, and the rest is met by other meat products like beef, mutton and fish.”

“With the introduction of advanced technologies, more investments are coming around to cater to market needs and earn handsome revenues,” said Ali Hasnain, adding the poultry industry still had a lot of potential to contribute to the economy.

As per the PPA report, meat consumption per capita in Pakistan is less than the developed countries. The consumption of meat and eggs per capita is 6.2 kilograms and 56 eggs annually. In the developed world, the per capita meat consumption is 40 kilograms and 300 eggs annually.

According to the World Health Organisation, a person needs 27 grams of animal protein per day, while most people in Pakistan only consume 17 grams.

To meet the international standards of meat consumption, the supply and production need to be increased and prices need to be brought down so that consumers can get the required meat and egg consumption levels. An increase in production will certainly require more investments in the industry.

To boost production and bring down product rates, imports of poultry-related equipment should be exempted from duties and taxes.

In addition, as growers increasingly need land to establish sheds, the government should provide state land to investors at nominal rates to generate investments and more production.

Haniful Hassan, owner of a poultry farm, said that the current increase in prices of chicken was due to rise in prices of poultry feed. “The price of a feedbag has risen by 900 per bag in the last five months. We want the government to bring down the poultry feed rates to offset the price spiral,” he added.

Haniful Hassan called for establishing poultry research institutes, production directorates and a federal poultry board to provide research and training to farmers.

The government should also ensure easy availability of loans to people related to the industry.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will help address the looming food security challenge of Pakistan by introducing modern farming to enhance the country’s yield through agricultural cooperation, a government official has said.

https://nation.com.pk/2022/06/21/cpec-to-help-address-food-security...

Pakistan has realized that food security is an important component of national security, and agribusiness is being promoted through more investments in the agriculture sector, which will be further enhanced under the CPEC framework, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, a top official of ministry of planning, development and special initiative, told Xinhua in a recent interview. “As a part of improving food security, this year we are investing more in the water sector and the agriculture sector to increase our yield … all these sectors are strengths of China, which has shown great performance and productivity,” he added.

Talking about the potential of his country’s agriculture sector, the official said that it is a big producer of milk, vegetables and fruits, but a huge chunk of it goes wasted due to the unavailability of processing units and the supply chain.

Chinese investors can tap the potential of the sector as they invested in other sectors, he said. The secretary said that his country is committed to CPEC, and no matter which political party is in power, there is a joint consensus that the project is important for the economic development of Pakistan. CPEC is a multifaceted program that catered to the needs of Pakistan, including the most urgent and pressing demand to meet the electricity needs of the country that was facing up to 18 hours of load shedding when CPEC was introduced, he said. Shah noted that CPEC invoked a new life to the economic development of Pakistan by bringing large foreign direct investment (FDI) through different projects.

Talking about CPEC’s role in the overall development of Pakistan, he said that it started off with infrastructure, followed by a new phase of industrialization which is going to be started in the special economic zones (SEZs) under the framework of CPEC. “FDI in SEZs has played a great role in the countries which were short of capital … China being one of the largest investors in the world is our close friend, so we are hopeful that the Chinese investment will contribute a lot to the economic development of Pakistan,” Shah said.

Pakistan growers hope to increase cherry presence in China


https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9439951/pakistan-growers-hope-to...

On the online shopping platforms, cherries imported from overseas have been well received by Chinese consumers, of which mostly are from Chile. Cherry growers from Pakistan also want a part of this market, which is one of the largest consumer markets in the world.

Wang Zhihua, General Manager, Shaanxi Jinguo Cherry Industrial Development Co., Ltd. stated: “Pakistani cherry looks quite good and the color turns dark when it matures. At present, cherries of dark color are especially loved by Chinese customers.” More importantly, there is a time difference of 10 to 15 days between most Chinese cherries and foreign cherries’ maturity. Therefore, if Pakistani cherries can enter the Chinese market, there’re profitable opportunities.

So far the cherry planting area in Pakistan has exceeded 2,500 hectares, and Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan are the two main cherry-producing places. The former region produces 4,000 tons of cherry per season, and local consumption is limited. If GB’s cherries can enter China, the export value can be huge.

FAO in Pakistan

Pakistan at a Glance

https://www.fao.org/pakistan/our-office/pakistan-at-a-glance/en/#:~...'s%20total%20GDP.

Pakistan is also amongst the world’s top ten producers of wheat, cotton, sugarcane, mango, dates and kinnow oranges, and is ranked 10th in rice production. Major crops (wheat, rice, cotton and sugar cane) contribute around 4.9 per cent, while minor crops contribute 2.1 percent to the country’s total GDP.
Livestock sector contributes 11 per cent to the country’s GDP (60.5 per cent in agriculture sector) and employs approximately 35 million people. Fisheries and forestry sectors each contribute an estimated 0.4 per cent to the GDP (2.1 per cent in agriculture sector).
Despite its impressive and continuously growing agricultural production, the country is still facing high levels of food insecurity. According to a global report published jointly by FAO, WFP, UNICEF, WHO and IFAD in 2019, 20.3 per cent of Pakistan’s population (40.0 million people) is undernourished/food insecure. The prevalence of malnutrition amongst children aged 6-59 months is also very high, with an estimated 40% children stunted, 28% underweight, 18% wasted and 10% overweight. Further, around one-fourth (24 per cent) of the country’s population is living below national poverty line and 39.0 per cent is poor based on multidimensional poverty index (MPI).

Global Markets: Rice – Pakistan Export Forecast Rises to Record While Importing More Wheat

https://agfax.com/2022/07/16/global-markets-rice-pakistan-export-fo...

2021/22 Pakistan rice exports are forecast up 450,000 tons to 4.8 million, almost 30 percent higher than the previous year. Favorable export conditions are expected to continue as large stocks, competitive export prices, and strong demand from key markets are expected to spur exports further to 4.9 million tons in 2022/23.

Pakistan retains ample supplies following two consecutive record crops, despite hot and dry conditions delaying the 2022 May/June planting season. The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasts ample monsoon rains which are expected to be beneficial for this season’s harvest.

In addition to favorable weather and market conditions, abundant supplies, and the devaluation of the Pakistani rupee have kept its prices globally competitive. Over the past year, Pakistani rice prices have closely mirrored Indian prices, which have been extremely low for almost 2 years; however, strong export demand has caused Pakistani quotes to spike in recent weeks.

Pakistan’s top export markets include a diverse group of countries to which it exports different rice varieties, including fragrant long-grain basmati, regular milled, and broken rice. In recent years, Pakistan has emerged as a major supplier to China, the world’s largest rice importing and consuming country.

In fact, in the first few months of 2022, Pakistan exported more rice to China than Vietnam, the historic top supplier. Pakistan exports both milled rice and broken rice to China, the latter primarily used in feed. Pakistan also exports competitively priced milled rice to East Africa – particularly Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania – and neighboring countries in Central Asia, mainly Afghanistan.

Pakistan is also a producer and exporter of basmati rice, a premium product known for its aromatic qualities. Demand for basmati rice has grown in recent years, especially in the European Union and the Middle East. While still facing stiff competition from India, the top global basmati exporter, Pakistan is a significant basmati supplier to the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom.

Rice is an important food in Pakistan; however, wheat is the principal grain consumed domestically. Unfortunately, the same hot and dry planting conditions that delayed planting of the 2022 rice crop in Punjab and Sindh provinces have adversely affected Pakistan’s wheat production.

This month, Pakistan’s 2022/23 wheat import forecast has been raised 500,000 tons to 2.5 million as the government has aggressively procured international and domestic wheat. Historically, the government intervenes heavily in wheat production, marketing, and trade to ensure sufficient supplies of a commodity critical to food security.

Banana production increases in Pakistan

https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9400710/banana-production-increa...

The production of bananas in Pakistan has increased during past few years after the successful experiments of tissue culture of Chinese imported plants. Dr. Alam Riaz from the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) said Pakistan produced twelve different varieties of bananas from Chinese plants that were imported in 2009.

Riaz said one million plants of these varieties were harvested on the left bank of Sindh province in 2012 and out of these two species provided extraordinary results which were approved by Sindh Seed Council for commercial growth.

“Pakistan is producing 150,000 tons banana per year. Banana production will be increased to 700,000 tons in coming years as the PARC is producing 50,000 and the private sector is growing 500,000 to 600,000 tissue cultured plants every year for commercial yield,” he added.

PARC conducted special banana producing labs in Karachi and Thatha where a single plant was sold for 60 rupees and the commercial sector sold the tissue cultured new variety at 100 rupees per plant, he added.

Pakistan: Fruits exports up 27.69%, vegetables up 31.47%


https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9387000/pakistan-fruits-exports-...

The exports of fruits from Pakistan increased by 27.69 percent during the first five months of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last year. The exports of fruits during July-November (2021-22) were recorded at $177.316 million against the exports of $138.859 million in July-November (2020-21), showing growth of 27.69 percent, according to the date of Pakistan Bureau of statistics (PBS).

Meanwhile, the vegetable exports from the country also went up by 31.47 percent by increasing from $77.146 million last year to $101.423 million during the ongoing fiscal year.

On year-on-year basis, the fruits exports from the country increased by 62.35 percent by going up from $20.758 million during November 2020 to $33.700 million in November 2021. On month-on-month basis, the fruit exports, increased by 15.25 percent in November 2021 compared to the exports of $29.242 million in October 2021.

Maersk and SEED Ventures collaborate to improve agricultural exports from Pakistan

July 28, 2022

By Jack Donnelly

https://www.porttechnology.org/news/maersk-and-seed-ventures-collab...

Maersk Pakistan Private Limited (Maersk) and SEED Ventures have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the Pakistan Agripreneurship Challenge (PAC).

PAC is an Agri-value chain intervention challenge that aims to improve the quality of Pakistan’s agricultural produce and explore new global markets for Pakistan’s agriculture exporters.

In 2020, Pakistan produced 5.6 million metric tons of vegetables, of which the resulting export produce amounted to $4.92 million. In contrast, the Netherlands producing 5.3 million metric tons of vegetables, could export $31 billion worth of produce.

The comparison, Maersk argues, showcases Pakistan is not meeting its export potential for vegetables.

Issues pertaining to storage, transport & distribution are significant roadblocks for the Agri sector, and Maersk claims it is evident that a holistic value chain intervention is required for the post-harvest category.

PAC is an agripreneurship challenge that calls upon Agri ventures, innovators, farmers and agriculture students to participate and develop innovative solutions to solve the post-harvest challenges in Pakistan for vegetable produce.

The shortlisted finalists from the challenge will be given the opportunity to realise their innovative agripreneurship solutions by Maersk and SEED.

The 20 July collaboration signed between SEED Ventures and Maersk aims to identify potential solutions to support Pakistan in meeting its export potential.

Hasan Faraz, Managing Director, Maersk Pakistan, commented: “At Maersk, our purpose is to improve life for all by integrating the world. We are delighted to partner with SEED Ventures and contribute to improving Pakistan’s agricultural sector.”

Nestlé Pakistan Brings Sustainable Growth to Apple Growing in Gilgit Baltistan

https://propakistani.pk/2022/08/03/nestle-pakistan-brings-sustainab...

Nestlé, in collaboration with the Agriculture Department of Gilgit Baltistan and local support organizations, is working closely with small-sized local apple growers in the region to diversify their products and improve their livelihoods by increasing horticulture production through good agriculture practices including tree pruning, pest management, and post-harvest management.

Note: Nestle Pakistan produces and sells apple juice in Pakistan (Nestle Fruita Vitals Nectar Apple)
-------------------

Safoora Bibi, our apple farmer in Hunza, supplies high quality apples to Nestlé Pakistan.

https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/NESTLE-PAKISTAN-LIMITED-...

Country has potential to meet 95% of tea demand
Researcher says tea plantation can be promoted through cooperative farming, subsidies

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2369372/country-has-potential-to-meet-...

MANSEHRA:
Pakistan has huge potential to become self-sufficient in the tea sector. If planted on an additional 2,000 hectares of land offered by the government and invested by private companies, it can meet 95% of the national demand, said Dr Abdul Waheed, Director of National Tea and High Value Crop Research Institute, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) said in an interview with the China Economic Net (CEN).

“We have done much research in collaboration with China. The tea research institute was also built on the recommendation of Chinese researchers and was later renamed as National Tea and High Value Crop Research Institute,” he said and underlined the need to follow commercialisation.

Pakistan’s heavy reliance on import of tea calls for enhancing the local production capacity. During 2021, Pakistan imported 2,258,000 kg of black and green tea for $596 million.

In the first three quarters (July-March) of fiscal year 2021-22, tea imports recorded an increase of 11.95% as compared to the corresponding period of last year.

“We have 64,000 hectares of land suitable for tea plantation. But so far only less than 80 hectares are dedicated for tea plantation. We must use at least 2,000 to 10,000 hectares under public-private partnership in the first year,” he recommended.

“We should rely on our capacity of four million plants per annum, rather than import,” he told CEN.

“Tea plantation can be promoted through cooperative farming and government subsidies. Private farmers have their own land and need incentives from the government.”

Providing incentives like interest-free loans to growers during the gestation period is also a practice adopted by China.

‘Pakistan produces 15,750 metric tonnes of honey’
International honey bee moot held in Multan

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2300935/pakistan-produces-15750-metric...

The Institute of Plant Protection, MNS Unversity of Agriculture, Multan held the International Honey Bee Conference on “Bee Pollination Under Climate Change Scenario” via webinar on Thursday.

Federal Minister on National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam was invited as the chief guest at the event. The minister said, “Pakistan has great potential for beekeeping due to a diverse bee flora and suitable environmental conditions. Honeybees are an essential component of modern agriculture and economy.”

Beekeeping and honey production is becoming a profitable business in Pakistan along with being an eco-friendly practice.

Pakistan has three species of native Apis and one exotic honeybee.

Currently, there are about 10,000 beekeepers in Pakistan managing almost 1.1 million Apis mellifeca colonies. Annual honey production is about 15,750 metric tonnes in the country.

Pakistan ranks 20th in the world for honey production and 34th in honey export.

Beekeeping in Pakistan is mainly focused in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and central and north regions of Punjab but nowadays it is growing rapidly due to the demand for honey and its byproducts locally and internationally.

Plant diversity is directly dependent upon pollination success and vice versa, thus understanding the management of pollinators is very impotent.

Beekeepers reap a dividend from the government's programme to expand forests, as honey production rises

https://news.trust.org/item/20200707041422-vekhw

TREES FOR BEES

Malik Amin Aslam, climate change advisor to Prime Minister Imran Khan, said that nurturing the relationship between trees and bees is a priority for the 10 Billion Trees project.

He told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that in several honey-producing areas the project is planting bee-friendly trees such as the indigenous bari tree - also known as ziziphus mauritiana or jujube.

The tree's honey is sought after for its low glucose content, which makes it less likely to crystallise, he said.

But Syed Mahmood Nasir, head of the Islamabad-based Nature Clicks Institution, a non-profit focused on the environment and anthropology, warned that growing Pakistan's honey industry is not as simple as planting more trees.

Authorities need to be clear on whether they want a replanted forest to produce wild or farmed honey, with each requiring different management and resources, explained Nasir, who was formerly the government's inspector-general of forests.

Either way, "they should ensure that no pesticides are used within at least 10 miles of the forest", he added.

For Changa Manga beekeeper Hussain, Pakistan's bee-boosting reforestation efforts make him optimistic he can carry on the business his father has been running for the last 45 years.

Hussain fondly recalled a childhood spent watching his dad extract honey straight from the beehives to give to customers.

"My biggest motivation for this work is that my father has had a special affection for honey since he was a boy and he doesn't want this fondness to end," he said.

"We will do it generation by generation. As long as the forest is there, honey is there."

----------

When authorities started planting millions of trees in eastern Pakistan's Changa Manga Forest five years ago, the idea was to bring back life to forest land that had been destroyed by illegal logging, water scarcity and fires.

Now that the trees have matured, they are having an even sweeter side-effect - helping to boost the local bee population and honey production in the area.

As part of Pakistan's efforts to offset the impacts of climate change by rehabilitating forests, conserving soil and improving water management, 3.5 million trees were planted on 6,000 acres (2,428 hectares) in Changa Manga, known as one of the world's largest man-made forests, near the city of Lahore.

Beekeepers in the plantation said they are now harvesting up to 70% more honey than before the greening project started in 2014, as the trees provide a habitat for bees and create conditions for a growing diversity of plants and flowers.

"As more of the plantation has been created, our honey production has kept on increasing," said Bilal Hussain, a beekeeper in Changa Manga whose father runs the forest's honey operations.

"We will get even more income over the next four to five years," Hussain said excitedly, as he extracted honey from a piece of honeycomb to pack into bottles to sell at his shop.

The amount of honey harvested by beekeepers in the 12,500-acre forest almost doubled from 725 kg (1,600 pounds) in the fiscal year 2018-2019 to about 1,300 kg in 2019-2020, said forest officer Shahid Tabassum.

And the amount of sticky stuff coming out of Changa Manga is estimated to keep rising to about 2,000 kg in the next fiscal year, Tabassum added.

The old forest had three main species of trees, to which at least seven have been added, he noted.

"The forest cover plays an important role in the increase of honey production because honeybees get shelter, shade and water from the trees," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Globally, there has been a drastic decline in bee numbers, largely due to intensive agriculture, pesticide use and climate change, environmentalists say.

A study published in the journal Science in April found that the world's population of land-dwelling insects is falling by almost 1% every year.

EXPORT SUCCESS

The boost in honey production is sweet relief for Pakistan, a cash-strapped country that got a $6-billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund last year.

Pakistan has seen a drop in its exports and foreign remittances since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, according to independent economist Vaqar Ahmed.

He expects to see a further decline in the money coming into Pakistan as European and Gulf countries continue to wrestle with the economic effects of the outbreak.

Most of Pakistan's remittances come from Gulf states, while European Union nations are the main markets for its exports, he explained.

Pakistan's exports dropped from $20.1 billion in July-April 2019 to about $19.6 billion in the same period this year, data from the State Bank of Pakistan shows.

But industry experts expect honey to buck that trend.

In the financial year 2018-2019, Pakistan exported honey worth 966 million rupees ($5.8 million), about 260 million rupees more than the year before, according to the government's Honeybee Research Institute (HBRI) in Islamabad.

Figures for this year's honey exports are not available yet.

But industry insiders predicted they will keep going up, as the country's beekeepers benefit from the trees in Changa Manga along with Pakistan's ongoing push to reforest the country under its "10 Billion Tree Tsunami" project, launched last year.

Pakistan has 7,000 commercial beekeepers looking after more than 1 million beehives but has enough space for double that number, according to data from the HBRI.

And while planting trees expands the habitat for bees, the pollinators, in turn, help to naturally regenerate more forest areas with a variety of trees, plants and flowers, said Noor Islam, the bee institute's senior scientific officer.

"Honey production and forestry are interrelated because the honeybees get their food from trees, while trees, as a result, maintain their biodiversity," he said.

Riaz Haq has left a new comment on your post "Pakistan's Biggest Food Import: Cooking Oil Worth $4.5 Billion Wors...":

From Wheat Exporter to Wheat Importer
Dr. Muhammad Shahbaz
July 17, 2022
The writer is research fellow at University of Cambrdige, UK and Professor at Biejing Institue of Technlogy China.


https://mmnews.tv/from-wheat-exporter-to-wheat-importer/


The agricultural sector is one of the largest contributors to the economy. While declining as a proportion of GDP, agriculture still contributes one-fifth of Pakistan’s wealth and almost half the population depends directly or indirectly on agriculture for their livelihoods. With 79.6 million acres of arable land, there is a great potential for improving efficiencies and productivity of the agriculture sector. The crop sector is an important sector of the economy which provides food to rapidly growing population of the country. The major crops consist of six main crops: wheat, rice, sugarcane, maize, chickpea and cotton. Wheat is Pakistan’s largest crop, in terms of area sown and is grown under different agro-ecological zones. Wheat flour currently contributes 72% of Pakistan’s daily caloric intake with per capita wheat consumption of around 124 kilograms (kg) per year, one of the highest in the world. In irrigated areas, wheat is planted after cotton, rice, and sugarcane, while in rain fed areas wheat is grown at the same time as maize and millet. The sowing of wheat takes place from October to December and harvests from March to May. Approximately 80% of farmers grow it on an area of around 9 million hectares (close to 40% of the country’s total cultivated land) during the winter.

Wheat is the most widely grown crop in the world. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is one of the first domesticated food crops and has been the basic staple food of the major civilizations of Europe, West Asia and North Africa for last 8000 years. Approximately one sixth of the total arable land in the world is under wheat. It is most demanded food grain and its production leads all crops, including rice, maize and potatoes. In Pakistan, wheat being the main staple food cultivated on the largest acreages. Pakistan falls in ten major wheat-producing countries of the world in terms of area under wheat cultivation, total production and yield per hectare. Wheat is the essential diet of population as it constitutes 60% of the daily diet of common man in Pakistan and average per capita consumption is about 125 kg and occupies a central position in agricultural policies of the government. Based on cropping pattern, disease prevalence and climate, Pakistan has been divided into a ten production zones. However, production zones need to be revisited. In Pakistan, wheat is grown in different cropping systems, such as; cotton wheat, rice wheat, sugarcane wheat, maize wheat, fallow wheat. Of these, Cotton-Wheat and Rice-Wheat systems together account about 60% of the total wheat area whereas rain-fed wheat covers more than 1.50 m ha area. Rotations with Maize-Sugarcane, Pulses and fallow are also important.

From Wheat Exporter to Wheat Importer
Dr. Muhammad Shahbaz

https://mmnews.tv/from-wheat-exporter-to-wheat-importer/

Last year Pakistan exported 125,000 million tonnes of the fruit. The country’s average production of mangoes is 1.8 million tonnes.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2358816/falling-mango-production

Pakistan is among the five top growers and exporters of mangoes in the world. Pakistani mangoes are much in demand in foreign countries for their taste, flavour and size. In recent years, the situation brought about by climate change has rendered the cultivation of mangoes unprofitable in various parts of the country. This is forcing cultivators of mangoes to cut mango trees on a large scale in order to switch from horticulture to agriculture.

Pakistan eyes China to boost potato industry
Envoy says Islamabad ranks among largest potato producers in world

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2350184/pakistan-eyes-china-to-boost-p...

“Local consumption is around 4 to 5 million tons. We will have a good surplus quantity to export to regional countries,” he (Commercial Counsellor of Pakistan Embassy in Beijing Badaruz Zaman) told China Economic Net.

“We have also taken up the issue with the Chinese government. In Pakistan, we are introducing machinery from China in many processing plants.”

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Prices of fries and preserved well-shelved potatoes are extremely high compared with the potato on farm, therefore “we need to improve the whole process,” Zaman said.

He added that China has achieved a very high yield per hectare owing to its high-yielding varieties of seeds and efficiency. Post-harvest processing in China is also impressive as the country uses machinery and the process is highly mechanised.

Similar things, if introduced in Pakistan, will help the country take potato production a step further, he said.

“We are using archaic methods and too much labour is involved as the processes are manual. The main issue is the lack of mechanisation. We also need cold storage to increase the shelf life but we lack the grading machinery.”

Potato Growers Association Vice President Chaudhry Maqsood Ahmad Jutt, who is also Chairman of Potato Research and Development Board, told China Economic Net that in Pakistan, seven districts of Punjab including Okara, Pakpattan, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Vehari, and Multan contribute more than 60% of potato produced in Pakistan.

Chakwal is one of the booming destinations for potato cultivation as well, he said, adding that high production in these areas is mainly due to better irrigation facility.

“Pakistan lacks an efficient seed supply system, new varieties of seeds, technical capacity and training of farmers and it has inadequate resource allocation to seed systems,” he said.

“The cost of imported seeds is high and most farmers rely on poor quality seed due to shortage of funds, which results in poor yield and China intends to help us in all these areas.”

Jutt is convinced that China is a huge market for Pakistani potatoes because the price of potatoes is higher in China, especially from January to April while the potato crop is being cultivated in Pakistan during this period and it is available at a lower price.

He added that Pakistan already fulfills all international standards and exports potatoes to almost all continents, but he believes that with the help of China, the country can further improve the quality and per acre production.

China large importer of Pakistani pine nuts | The Express Tribune


https://tribune.com.pk/story/2373047/china-large-importer-of-pakist...

BEIJING:
Pakistani pine nuts’ exports to China in the first seven months of this year crossed US $41.48 million, according to the official data from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC). Data from GACC showed that during January-July of 2022, China imported 3,770.76 tons of pine nuts from Pakistan worth $41.48 million while in the same period, China imported 11,513.7 tons of pine nuts around the world valuing about $88.020 million.

Overall, China has imported $88.020 million of pine nuts and out of that 47.12% is from Pakistan. Yar Muhammad Niazi, Chief Executive of Hangzhou Aiza Food, and Shaoxing Aiza Trading said that the export of Pakistani pine nuts to China enjoys zero tariffs and Pakistani pine nuts are classified as high-end snacks in the Chinese market, CEN reported. “The overall price of Pakistani pine nuts in the Chinese market is on the rise.

This year’s season will start in late September and our target is to export 1,500 tons to China. China is a big market and we need to do B2B cooperation to capture a larger part of this market,” Niazi said. He said that for the last two year the price remained low, valuing ¥130-140 per KG, while this year’s price is expected to go a little higher. They are now working on the value addition of this product and launching a new brand. Pakistani and Chinese governments should support Pakistani enterprises to participate in the exhibitions here to increase Pakistan’s exports to China, he added.

“China is one of the biggest buyers of pine nuts from Pakistan and even during the epidemic the Chinese government played a very vital role in having flexible policies in trade with Pakistan and that’s the reason why so far we have been successful to export pine nuts to China in huge quantity,” said Qadir Baloch, a pine nuts exporter hailing from Balochistan. Baloch, whose family has been associated with the pine nuts business for the last 55 years said that in the last few years China has become the main destination for Pakistani pine nuts and that is why local exporters are happy that they can earn a good profit from the neighbouring market

According to the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council, overall world pine nut production followed a growing trend in the last 10 years, in spite of its irregular nature. World pine nut kernel production reached 23 thousand tonnes in the 2017-2018 season. In the last five years, global production amounted to an average of 26.4 thousand tonnes.
In 2017-2018, China was the top producer with 39% of global production, followed by North Korea, Pakistan and Afghanistan with 13% each.

https://www.cbi.eu/market-information/processed-fruit-vegetables-ed....

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Most of the pine nuts in European trade are sourced from China. In addition to the many species of pine nuts produced in China, Chinese processing plants also import unshelled pine nuts from Mongolia, North Korea, Pakistan and Russia, then process and re-export them as Chinese pine nuts.
European imports of pine nuts from China have almost doubled in the last five years. Imports from China increased from 5.2 thousand tonnes in 2013 to 9.5 thousand tonnes in 2017.
Germany was Europe’s second largest supplier of pine nuts in 2017. Usually, Pakistan is the second largest supplier of pine nuts to Europe. In 2017, imports from Pakistan were relatively low due to a small crop.
Out of the leading external suppliers of pine nuts to Europe, Russia showed the most significant average annual growth at 68%, thus gaining some market share from China and Pakistan. However, Russia still has a small share of the European pine nut market at around 3%.

https://www.cbi.eu/market-information/processed-fruit-vegetables-ed...