ISLAMABAD: The country's dates exports can be enhanced up to $200 million provided proper processing and packaging facilities are provided at farm level, Chief Executive Officer Harvest Tradings and Member Export Committee, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Ahmad Jawad said.
"Since dates are perishable in nature, processing and packing facilities should be provided at farms to tap full potential of the crop", Ahmad said.
He said estimated date production per annum in Pakistan is around 535,000 tons, of which only 86,000 tons is exported and the rest is either consumed locally, or perishes for want of different facilities.
Since 1999, per acre yield of dates in Pakistan has not increased so much whereas the worldwide production had increased by 166 percent during this period.
He said, date palm needs immediate attention from producers, exporters, government and even public and private creditors.
The production and the percentage export of date palm has been showing a declining trend over the long period, he said and added the government needs to pay urgent attention towards production, processing and quality enhancement, preservation, research and marketing facilities to save and ensure growth of this important source of foreign exchange.
Due to the dearth of these facilities, dates are just dumped abroad at throwaway prices.
In addition, developed importers of date palm, as Germany, Denmark, and UAE, are re-exporting Pakistani dates, after quality enhancement and preparation of by-products, at a price which is 4 to 6 times higher than their import price.
Other major importers of Pakistani dates include India, Nepal, US, UK, Afghanistan, and Canada.
Out of the 300 varieties of dates produced in Pakistan, Begam Jangi of Balochistan, Aseel of Sindh and Dhakki of Dera Ismail Khan are the varieties which are much sought the world over due to their exotic taste.
"But due to lack of processing and packaging facilities these highly valuable varieties do not fetch their real worth in the export market", he remarked.
He stressed the need for value addition to earn foreign exchange by making products like date sweets, jams, chocolates, and other products.
Even the damaged crop is used for medicinal purposes while dates oil is also fit for use in cosmetics, he added.
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