Ahmed Khan Malik
As part of its efforts to enhance the productivity of the agriculture sector, the Sindh government has worked out a strategy to enhance the production as well as value addition of the banana crop to enable the farmers to get high returns on their produce.
Banana is a major fruit crop in Pakistan, and the production is concentrated in Sindh province, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Punjab. The average annual yield of banana is currently only eight to 10 metric tonnes per acre. Wastage is high owing to lack of proper bunch care during fruit development and poor handling after harvest.
The quality and yield of bananas suffers primarily due to the use of flood irrigation, high population density of plants, poor planting patterns, lack of proper bunch management, improper application of fertilizer and limited plant nutrition management. Improper handling of the fruit after harvest causes damage, reducing its shelf life and revenues.
Murtaza Syed, Director of Horticulture, told WealthPK that the provincial government has developed a strategy to address key issues that could result in long-term and sustainable changes in the quality and yield of bananas. “This includes immediate measures for current crop, more elaborate improved practices for next cropping season and establishment of model farms for long-term sustainable improvement in the sector,” he added.
He said that banana is cultivated on an estimated 85,990 acres in Pakistan, of which, 83% is grown in the Sindh province. He said that due to poor variety selection, crop management and post-harvest fruit handling, Pakistani exporters get lower price than other banana exporting countries. “However, Pakistani banana prices at the farmgate are lower than in the international market.”
Syed said that the provincial government intends to transform banana production into global competitiveness to generate profit for all stakeholders in the value chain. “For this purpose, the government has initiated the strategy to analyse the whole value chain of banana production, identify gaps and potentials, formulate plans, policies, and strategies, and come up with viable intervention at various segments of the value chain.”
He said that cluster development strategy would be adopted for the sector’s development. “The first cluster consists of Thattta, Matiari, Shaheed Benazir Abad, Mirpur Khans, Tando Muhammad Khan, Sanghar, Tando Allhyar and Badin districts. This is a major banana cluster as it contributes 67% of the provincial banana cultivation area. Thatta is the focal point of this cluster, which alone contributes about 20% in the provincial banana area and production.
The fruit quality of this cluster is comparatively better than the upper Sindh. Therefore, it has potential to produce exportable quality of banana.” “The second cluster is comprised of two districts -- Khairpur and Noshehro Feroze -- with 30% of land under banana cultivation. Khairpur is the focal point of the cluster as it contributes 20% of the banana area in the cluster,” Syed said.
Credit: INP-WealthPk