Muhammad Luqman

The people of Pakistan no longer have to wait till June for the juicy peach from Swat Valley, as it becomes available in abundance by the third week of April due to successful cultivation in Punjab. Nowadays, the peaches being sold across Pakistan are mostly from the orchards of Punjab.

Peach farming has gained popularity in Punjab due to the high economic return. Peach orchards are now found even in harsh weather areas like Ravi Syphon near Lahore. This development is attributed to the changing climate patterns and the introduction of early peach varieties.

“When I first cultivated peach plants a few years ago, nobody was ready to believe that it would flourish in central Punjab’s harsh climate. Even if it grows, it won’t bear fruit,” Fawad Sadiq, owner of an orchard in Maralpar village in Ravi Syphon area, told WealthPK.

“In the early trials, the size of fruit was much smaller than that of Swat’s and the taste was quite inferior. But now the fruit is as big as the one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the taste is also superb,” he claimed. He said being a high-value fruit, peach fetches an income up to Rs600,000 per acre in Punjab due to its early harvesting as compared to the crop from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“This is a good choice for the farmers who are not able to make money from the major food and cash crops,” the orchard owner said. Presently, the per kilogram price of peaches ranges from Rs400 to Rs500 in Lahore and other big towns of Pakistan, but it would get lower in June and July with the availability of more quantity from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Besides Lahore, peach has been successfully cultivated in Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Multan divisions of the Punjab province. The development of early varieties of fruit by the Barani Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Chakwal, and Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad, has been instrumental in their successful cultivation in Punjab. “Only the early varieties are successful in Punjab.

These include Early Grand, Florida King, Florida Gold, and Plain-4. These four varieties have been registered by BARI,” said Dr. Nadeem Ahmad, Director of Barani Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Chakwal, in an interview with WealthPK. He said out of these four varieties, farmers usually prefer to cultivate Early Grand and Florida King in Punjab due to their easy availability.

He said peach farming could provide a good source of income for farmers in Punjab, especially if they adopt modern cultivation techniques, use high-quality varieties, and follow best practices for pest management and harvesting. Dr. Nadeem Ahmad said the peach grown in Punjab had the potential for export to the international markets due to its good shape and taste.

According to nutritionists, fresh peaches, like other stone fruits, are rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C. “The fruit, which is now available for more than five months, should be taken daily. With a high amount of vitamin, it can help raise the immunity levels against different diseases,” said Dr. Ali Haider, a nutritionist.

Credit: INP-WealthPk