TANDOJAM: The experts and progressive farmers have said that horticulture is being exported worth 250 billion dollars in the world, but we are not benefiting from it due to a lack of quality and essential export requirements, while academia, industry, farmers and organisations related in setting standards for exports have need to work together to improve quality, to promote the agriculture products to progress in exports.

They said while addressing the seminar titled “Mango Bagging for Quality Production” in the senate hall of the Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam in collaboration with the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company (PHDEC).

Dr Fateh Marri, Vice Chancellor (SAU) said that many countries of the world are moving towards high-value agriculture, while we also have to promote research and export standards to produce our products free from diseases and pesticide-free and to make a place for our products in the world market.

Athar Hussain Khokhar, CEO of Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company, said that there has been no difference in our research since 1950, so we are starting research to improve the export quality of agricultural products in collaboration with academia. “Experts are asked to prepare their projects, we will fund them, and also start paid internships for students.” he added.

On the occasion, Vice Chancellor SAU, Dr Fateh Marri, and CEO of PHDEC Athar Hussain Khokhar signed an MoU to work together on various projects in the future.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023