FAISALABAD – The European Union has announced to finance a project titled ‘Trade-Related Technical Assistance’ (TRTA) aimed at boosting Pakistan’s economy by increasing the life of farm products. It was stated by international expert, Dr Mike Dillon, at his recent meeting with University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan and Institute of Horticultural Sciences head Prof Dr Amman Ullah.
Dr Mike Dillon has been appointed as a coordinator by United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) for the field implementation of the project and assigned to look after productivity in horticulture and industrial export. Trade-Related Technical Assistance (TRTA) programme is focusing on productivity and value addition to the horticulture sector that was featured to design comprehensive code of practices (CoPs) along with critical chain points of production of oranges and mangoes.
An independent survey says, “Around 34,000 tons of fruits and vegetables are lost in transit from farms to markets every year in Pakistan.” To avoid this, TRTA, in collaboration with the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company (PHDEC) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, had identified the Institute of Horticulture Sciences of University of Agriculture Faisalabad for designing a code of practice.
Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said Pakistan could now preserve mangoes for three to four weeks for export purposes owing to new techniques adopted by the UAF in a research through controlled atmosphere (CA) technology. He added the research would go a long way in promoting the export of Pakistani mangoes to far-flung countries as the controlled atmosphere technology would enable shipments to remain fresh in transit.
The experts said this project would prevent the wastage of farm products while, according to statistics, 25 to 40 percent of our production was spoiled due to the insufficient and poor storage facilities and wrong mode of transportation. Early this year, a Chinese company, Beijing Frotong Sciences and Technology Corporation Limited, had entered into an agreement with Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry for the installation of four mega cold storage plants in Peshawar, Quetta, Gilgit and Multan at an estimated cost of Rs 2.29 billion.
As per the plan, the Beijing Frotong would be responsible for the import and installation of machinery and infrastructure for the project that would conserve expensive fruits and vegetables such as apple, banana, orange, strawberry, cherry, lemon, guava, mango, onion, potato, green peas and other valuable grocery.
‘Industrial sector a pillar of economic prosperity’: The industrial sector of a country plays a vital role in the economic prosperity through its investment projects and creation of employment opportunities, said Peshawar National Institute of Management (NIM) Additional Director Staff Habib Ullah Khattak during his visit to Faisalabad Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FCCI).
He said the industry had contributed to the promotion of health and education and strived for the improvement of civic facilities for the citizens. He observed it was a great achievement of the local industrial sector that it was accommodating a major part of the national workforce despite power crisis coupled with numerous other problems.
Habib Ullah Khattak is a member of a delegation from the 11th mid career management course in NIM that was on a five-day official study tour of Faisalabad and invited to a reception hosted by FCCI in their honour. Addressing the visiting delegation, FCCI’s Ad-hoc Management Committee Chairman Muhammad Naseer said people should have known the ground realities behind these challenges to solve the problems of the industry.
He hoped the delegation members in their respective future assignments would carry forward the cause of the country with the most patriotic spirit. He advised the officers to show a higher degree of devotion, diligence and determination in the discharge of their duty.
