Punjab makes headway in American pecan cultivation

ISLAMABAD, Nov 10 (APP): Punjab has made significant progress in cultivating American pecan nuts, with successful trials at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Chakwal, leading to the development of a locally adapted variety, DMA-2, opening prospects for commercial production in the Potohar region and parts of central Punjab as an alternative to imported nuts.

Muhammad Aqeel Feroze, senior scientist (horticulture) at BARI, Chakwal, told Wealth Pakistan that pecan cultivation is not limited to cold mountainous regions, as several districts of Punjab offer favourable conditions for growing the high-value nut crop.

He identified Chakwal, Attock, Jhelum and Rawalpindi in the Potohar region, along with Lahore and Sargodha in central Punjab, as promising areas for its cultivation.

He said research on pecan cultivation was initiated at BARI about a decade ago and resulted in the development of DMA-2, a local variety approved by the Punjab Seed Council, marking an important achievement in agricultural research.

Individual pecan trees have also been successfully grown and are bearing fruit in Lahore and Sargodha, where some residents planted them in their home gardens, he added.

Aqeel Feroze said southern Punjab districts, particularly Vehari and Bahawalpur, could also be considered for experimental cultivation, although their commercial potential requires further scientific assessment, especially in view of winter chilling requirements and high summer temperatures.

Explaining the crop’s climatic requirements, he said pecan is a deciduous nut tree capable of tolerating relatively high summer temperatures if adequate soil moisture is maintained.

However, sufficient winter chilling, flowering synchronisation, pollination and timely nut maturity remained critical to successful production.

He said internationally recognised American pecan varieties included Wichita, Pawnee, Western Schley, Stuart, Mahan and Desirable.

For Punjab, preference should be given to low-chilling, early to medium maturing varieties with better heat adaptability, consistent yields and superior nut quality.

The horticulture expert explained that pecan is predominantly cross-pollinated, requiring farmers to plant compatible Type I and Type II varieties to ensure effective pollination and fruit setting.

He said the approval of DMA-2 was an important step towards identifying planting material suited to local conditions, but further trials across different agro-climatic zones were necessary to establish its commercial viability.

Identifying the major constraints, he said limited availability of verified, true-to-type planting material, inadequate winter chilling and high summer temperatures, particularly under water-stressed conditions, could affect tree growth, bud development and flowering.

Aqeel Feroze said Pakistan had considerable potential to develop pecan production as a high-value agricultural enterprise and reduce dependence on imported nuts, provided cultivation was expanded through scientific research and proper evaluation.

Imported pecan nuts are currently available in major urban markets, including Lahore and Karachi, at prices ranging from Rs 4,500 to Rs 6,000 per kilogram.

He said pecan kernels were widely used in confectionery, bakery products, chocolates and other premium food items, adding that local production could generate business opportunities for farmers, nurseries, processing industries and agricultural entrepreneurs.

Besides Punjab, pecan cultivation has also been experimented with successfully in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Prof Dr Shahjahan Shabbir Rana of the Department of Horticulture and Biotechnology at the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Quetta, told Wealth Pakistan that pecan and other American walnut varieties had been tested in different parts of Balochistan.

He said further trials to assess climatic and varietal adaptability could help promote pecan cultivation in Ziarat.