Poor practices, system: '40 percent citrus production lost at post-harvest stage'

It is a challenge for the agricultural scientists and extension workers to reduce the post harvest losses as Pakistan wastes 40 percent of the citrus production in the post harvest process due to poor harvest practices, harvest delay, lack of disease management and extreme weather conditions.
This was revealed in a meeting on citrus with the theme of "enhancement of citrus value chain production in Pakistan and Australia through improved orchard planning", under the Australia-Pakistan programme "Agriculture Sector Linkage Project (ASLP)" at Syndicate Room, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. The meeting was presided over by UAF Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmed Khan.
Professor Dr Iqrar said that Pakistan, which is an important citrus producer across the globe, exports around 10 percent of citrus and processes two percent of the citrus, but 40 percent of it is lost in the post-harvest stage and remaining circulated to domestic markets. He informed that the university has organised a farmers' convention in which 2,000 farmers across the country participated, adding that the university distributed new varieties of seed in the convention that will be grown in around 100 villages so that it becomes a source of persuasion.
Dr Tahir Rashid, a Project Leader from Austria said that Australia has provided as many as 23 scion eight-rootstock to broaden the availability of citrus in Pakistan, on the basis of heat unites were multiplied at UAF, CRI and ARI. He said that the project was designed to and implemented in already existing set up research institutes in Pakistan.
Dr Hafeez-ur-Rehman, also, stressed the need to conserve water in a bid to fight climate changes and save the agriculture. He also told the audience that they are working to enhance the citrus crop management research, extension and production capacity of Pakistan institutes, extend pro-poor benefits.
Marry Cannard from Citrus Board, Australia briefed the audience about the functioning of the board. She said that the Australian government cuts some money on the production of the growers from which they run the board, which is selected by farmers. She said that on the request of the farmers, the board conducts the research on the funding of farmers.
Dr Jaffer Jaskani, Altaf ur Rehman, Mr Ghulam Nabi and Dr Munawar Eaza and other participants also spoke on the occasion. Meanwhile, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council Chairman Dr Iftikhar Ahmad addressed the ASLP Citrus Workshop in which he called for persuading the farmers about the new varieties and technologies in a bid to increasing per acre production. In this regard, he said, demonstration plays an important role and it is also considered the best technique to bringing the knowledge into goods and services.
Dr Iftikhar Ahmad, who is also the ASLP citrus project's leader from Pakistan, also briefed the audience about the phases of the project. He said that the project is aimed at improving the crops management practices and examine current irrigation practices to assess the adaptability of pressurised irrigation system.