Secretary Visits 'Mango And Date Festival-2022' Organized By ARI

D.I.KHAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jul, 2022 ) :Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Secretary Agriculture Livestock and cooperative Dr Israr Khan on Wednesday visited the 'Mango and Date Festival-2022' organized here at the Agriculture Research Institute, Ratta Kulachi Farm by the Agriculture Research Institute (ARI), D.I.Khan.

The secretary alongwith Commissioner Dera Aamer Afaq, Vice Chancellor of Agriculture University D.I.Khan Dr. Masroor Elahi Baber, Director General of Agriculture Research Dr. Abdul Bari visited different stalls of mangoes and dates.

About 40 varieties of Mangoes and 30 varieties of Dates alongwith their value added Products were put in display in the festival.

The guests were briefed about the Mangoes Varieties by Senior Research Officer Imran Ullah while Dr Shahzada Arshad Saleem Sadozai briefed them about Dates Varieties and their Value added Products.

They showed great interest & Appreciated the quality of fruit and the efforts of ARI D.I.Khan Scientists and Management of. Director ARI DIKhan Abdul Qayyum Khan. Chief Planning Officer Ahmed Said and Director Merged Area Fazli wahab were also present on the occasion.

The verities of mango included Chaunsa, Black Chaunsa, Mosmi Chaunsa, Sindhri, Anwar Retol, Tota Pari, Shan-e-Khuda, Sanglakhi, Charg-e-Bostan, Malda, Desi No:1, Desi-Mota, Zafar Desi, Desi-Chota, Gola-Bilot, Gola Ikram wala, Desi Jarra, Paharpur Local, Desi Mangla, Desi Meetha, Desi Benayaz, Hameede, Sarang Puree, Jamu Desi, Nayab Meetha and others were on the display. While verities of dates included Dhakki, Muzawati, Gulistan, Ahmed Sandoori, Shakri, Gol Basr, Tora, Shakri Peela, Kaanri Bacha, Mumbai Panyala, Dheri wala, Kotley Choopa, Barani, Pista, Gulani, Tekala, Local Sandoori, Aalam Chowara, Desi Surkhi, Naiwala, Panyala Local, Desi and others.

While addressing the shields and certificates distribution ceremony, the secretary said the agriculture department was making all out efforts for the development of agriculture sector as this sector share 19 percent of the country's GDP.

Moreover, he said, 60-70 percent of the rural population was dependent on this sector.

He appreciated the efforts of ARI, D.I.Khan. He hoped that the area would make progress in the field of agriculture as the provincial government has made a comprehensive plan for the southern districts.

The date processing unit would be established in the area which would surely help to ensure development of the growers. The plots would also be provided to farmers for processing of fruit in KP Economic Zone.

He said in the comparison of provincial departments' performances, the agriculture department was on the top position.

The D.I.Khan district produces 82 varieties of mango and 54 varieties of dates.

The organization of the festival was aimed to provide a platform to growers, businessmen, and academia to come together for enhancement of fruit's productivity and to strengthen the agriculture sector.

At the end of the ceremony, the agriculture secretary presented shields to DG agriculture Abdul Bari, Chief Planning Officer Said Ahmed, Director Agriculture Abdul Qayyum, Director merged areas Fazil Wahab, University of Agriculture VC Dr Masroor Elahi while Gomal University's Dean of Faculty received the shield on behalf of the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Iftikhar.

Commissioner Dera Aamer Afaq presented the shield to Secretary Agriculture Dr Israr Khan.