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Fruit production in Balochistan
Pakistan
Thursday 20 March 2008
With four agro-ecological zones, Balochistan is endowed with a unique environment for the production of a great variety of quality fruits. The province is known as the fruit-basket of the country producing 90 per cent of grape, cherry and almond, 60 per cent of peach, pomegranate, apricot, 34 per cent of apple and 70 per cent of date.
The province, with diverse climates ranging from temperate to sub-tropical and tropical, produces various fruit crops. While apple, apricot, cherry and peach are high delta fruits, grape, olive, pistachio and pomegranate belong to the low delta of the province. While mango is a tropical fruit, date palm is a sub-tropical one.
The province produces 130 varieties of date. According to one estimate, Mekran produces about 0.5 million tons of dates annually. Some of the famous date varieties grown in Turbat and Panjgur include Begum Jangi, Kaharaba, Mozawati, Berni, Helini and Sabzo. The province produced over 6,625 tons of mango during fiscal year 2003-04 contributing 0.6 per cent to the total national production.
Fruit crops are grown over an area of 1,49,726 hectares in the province with a yield of about 0.9 million tons annually. Fruit production in highland Balochistan, which contains south-western region, depends on the availability of groundwater. The region is famous for production of commercial varieties of grape such as Kishmishi and Sundarkhani.
The experts in ARI are working on the production of cultivars of different fruits in Balochistan. As a result of agriculture research, cultivars of different fruits have been introduced. For instance, local cultivars of grapes, which have been introduced so far, include Kishmishi, Sundarkhani, Haita, Hussani, Askari, Khal Chini and Khalili. The cultivars of apple include the early-season cultivars, mid-season cultivars and late-season cultivars. So far 52 varieties of apples, 22 of grapes, 14 of peaches, 15 of cherry, 30 of plums, 32 of apricots, 11 of olive, five of almond and four varieties each of pistachios and pomegranates have been introduced.
The province, with diverse climates ranging from temperate to sub-tropical and tropical, produces various fruit crops. While apple, apricot, cherry and peach are high delta fruits, grape, olive, pistachio and pomegranate belong to the low delta of the province. While mango is a tropical fruit, date palm is a sub-tropical one.
The province produces 130 varieties of date. According to one estimate, Mekran produces about 0.5 million tons of dates annually. Some of the famous date varieties grown in Turbat and Panjgur include Begum Jangi, Kaharaba, Mozawati, Berni, Helini and Sabzo. The province produced over 6,625 tons of mango during fiscal year 2003-04 contributing 0.6 per cent to the total national production.
Fruit crops are grown over an area of 1,49,726 hectares in the province with a yield of about 0.9 million tons annually. Fruit production in highland Balochistan, which contains south-western region, depends on the availability of groundwater. The region is famous for production of commercial varieties of grape such as Kishmishi and Sundarkhani.
The experts in ARI are working on the production of cultivars of different fruits in Balochistan. As a result of agriculture research, cultivars of different fruits have been introduced. For instance, local cultivars of grapes, which have been introduced so far, include Kishmishi, Sundarkhani, Haita, Hussani, Askari, Khal Chini and Khalili. The cultivars of apple include the early-season cultivars, mid-season cultivars and late-season cultivars. So far 52 varieties of apples, 22 of grapes, 14 of peaches, 15 of cherry, 30 of plums, 32 of apricots, 11 of olive, five of almond and four varieties each of pistachios and pomegranates have been introduced.
