Pak, Indonesia can Work to Boost Agriculture

A ten member high level delegation headed by Prof. Dr. Herry Suhardiyanto, from Bogor University Indonesia including Kusdiana, Counselor, Indonesian Embassy at Islamabad called on the Chairman, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Dr. Muhammad Afzal at the PARC Headquarters. All the Technical Members of the PARC were also present.Briefing the delegation Dr. Muhammad Afzal apprized them the mandated activities of the PARC that includes undertake, aid, promote and coordinate agricultural research, arrange expeditious utilization of research results, establish research establishments mainly to fill in the gaps in existing programs of agricultural research, arrange the training of high level scientific manpower in agricultural sciences, generate, acquire and disseminate information relating to agriculture and establish and maintain a reference and research library.Dr. Muhammad Afzal informed the delegation about the major areas which include crops, horticulture, agricultural biotechnology, farm mechanization, natural resources, animal sciences, social sciences. PARC in collaboration with provincial institutes developed various varieties of wheat, rice, pulses, maize, sorghum, millet, fodder, cotton, sugarcane, oilseeds and horticultural crops. Dr. Muhammad Afzal also apprized the delegation PARC Agro-tech Trading Company (PATCO), to patent and commercialize the technologies, services and products developed and provided by the agricultural scientists.Dr. Afzal also informed the delegation that PARC has been working to enhance indigenous tea production in the country since long. As a result of sustained efforts, the Council has established a big tea plant nursery and tea plantation has been established on more than 400 acres at farmers’ fields. Farm Machinery Institute (FMI) under PARC has designed, developed and modified variety of farm mechanization technologies and transferred to private sector for mass production.

Pakistan likely to surpass Mango export targets

 LONDON, March- Pakistan is likely to surpass its mango export targets due to the favourable weather for the past few months. Sources in the Commercial wing of Pakistan High Commission told APP that because of ideal weather conditions, the growers are expecting a good harvest of mangoes, known as the king of fruits. The picking is expected to commence this May. Pakistan is one of the largest exporters and producers of mangoes in the world with Punjab and Sindh being the major growing areas.Authorities have set an export target of 140,000 tonnes of mangoes while Pakistani exporters are expecting that it will be more than 165,000 tonnes this season.Sources said mango growers from Pakistan have been receiving support from Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to expand the mango industry. An ongoing joint project between USAID and Pakistan provides training to mango growers to improve productivity and competitiveness.USAID’s mango program extends assistance by helping mango growers to achieve Global G.A.P. certification. So far 21 farms have attained this  certification.

Furthermore, the sources said Pakistan mangoes will be introduced in Russia and China with the support of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association this summer.There will be two mango exhibitions, one in China which will take place on the second week of June and in Russia on the last week of the same month. In relation to this, road shows will be held as part of promoting Pakistani mangoes.Last summer, a similar exhibition was organised at London’s world famous Harrod’s  store which received a very positive response.