'Value Addition In Date Production Can Enhance Foreign Exchange Earnings'

Pakistan could increase foreign exchange earnings manifold by value addition in date production, said University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Oct, 2021 ) :Pakistan could increase foreign exchange earnings manifold by value addition in date production, said University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan.

He was addressing a date palm festival and stakeholders meeting held here at UAF which was organized by Institutes of Horticulture Sciences UAF.

The guest of honor was Ghulam Qasim Jaskani, a progressive farmer from Sindh, while Dr. Amanullah Malik, Dean Faculty of Agriculture; Dr. Jaffar Jaskani, Dr. Samar Abbas Naqvi and Dr Saeed also addressed the inaugural session.

The VC said although Pakistan was one of the largest date producing countries in the world, but its share in international market was negligible. The value addition in date production will help the country get foreign exchange and fight malnutrition and poverty issues.

Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said the country can earn precious foreign exchange after adopting value addition and diversity etc.

He said that agricultural economy could be strengthened by adapting the value addition in dates production. He said that at present, the production of dates in Pakistan was about 0.5 million tonnes per annum but due to traditional methods the export was limited to dry date which was less price commodity.He said that UAF was conducting research and teaching in tissue culture to promote the cultivation of better varieties of dates.

Gulam Qasim Jiskani said that Pakistan was one of the top date producers and exporters in the world, with annual date production of more than 535,000 tons. The main region for date cultivation was Khairpur district in Southern Sindh province. He said that by planting foreign varieties of the fruit, Pakistani farmers could earn many times more from their harvest. He said Pakistani date farmers also had a good chance to penetrate the international market with their yield.

Dr. Amanullah Malik said that date had gained a special place in Islamic society. He said that date palm was one of the blessings of Allah Almighty on mankind which was of the great importance for nutrition and medicine use.

Dr.Samar Abbas Naqvi said that the UAF started tangible work for the promotion and research of dates in 2008. He said that dates had a special place in horticulture. He said the purpose of this festival is to provide a platform to farmers, agricultural scientists, policy makers so that they can work out a plan of action to solve their problems. He said that more than 50 varieties of dates available in this date exhibition. He said that date palm had been cultivated in the middle East for five thousand years and its best varieties were being cultivated in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt and Iran.