Indian Punjab is one third of the Pakistani Punjab in term of area and not only provides wheat to whole of India but is also main producer of vegetables in that country. In contrast to it, Pakistan imported onion, tomatoes, and other vegetables from the Indian Punjab worth billions of rupees during the previous three months. The question is why Indian Punjab gives more yield than the Pakistani Punjab despite having one third of the area than this side of the divide. Why the Indian Punjab is not only feeding India, but also Pakistan. However, what can be commented about Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan who claims that Pakistan has achieved new laurels in food production and food security.
Addressing the “Fruit and Vegetable Promotion Conference” the other day, the federal minister has said that new technologies — introduced by the Pakistani agriculture scientists — have fulfilled the dream of boosting exports of fruits and vegetables from the country. He says that he is ‘proud of the agriculture scientists, whose untiring efforts in research helped boost the exports of fruits, especially mango and vegetables from the country.’
Yes, Pakistan has made some progress in export of fruit and meat and the result is that mangoes and apple are cheaper in Doha city of Qatar, which has the highest per capita income in the world than Lahore, Pakistan which has the one of the lowest per capita income in the world.
Pakistan is one of the leading wheat producing countries, but popular brands of biscuit and confectionary are made in Europe and are available in all over the world including Pakistan with hefty price tags. There is a need to make a rationalised policy to meet country’s requirements as well as to export fruit and vegetable which are excess in quantity. On one hand, the government encourages export of fruit and vegetables without realising their demand within the country and on the other hand it imports same commodities from India to meet the local demands.
One of the areas of concern is to protect the yields from viral and pest attacks. The scientists of the Department of Plant Protection in collaboration with All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association are trying to control disease by introducing hot water treatment technology which resulted in export enhancement. The problem is in the management than the quantity and quality of the cultivated areas in Pakistan. When Pakistan is the fourth largest milk producer in the world, it has failed to prepare any value added or exportable brand.