ISLAMABAD, Jul 2 (APP): Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam Friday said that agriculture extension and research in Gilgit-Baltistan would be upgraded as par with international standards for meeting phytosanitary and other certification requirements to turn GB as a hub for production of organic and high value foods.
Talking to Agriculture Minister GB Kazim Meesam, who called on him, Imam reaffirmed the government’s resolve for providing all available resources for uplift and development of agriculture sector of Gilgit-Baltistan, besides promoting cultivation of high value crop to enhance exports.
The meeting was also attended by the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Food Security Jamshed Iqba Cheema and Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research and discussed issues faced the agriculture sector of GB and measures to address these challenges, said a press release issued here.
Speaking on the occasion, Fakhar Imam said that production of organic cherry and apricot would be focused for the growth of agriculture in Gilgit Baltistan, adding that exports of organic agriculture produces would help to penetrate in international markets to fetch foreign exchange for the country as well as increase local farm income.
He said that total output of cherries estimated at 350,000 tons annually, adding that out of the total production about 30-40 percent wasted due to absence of modern harvesting technology, besides about 2 million tons of apricot produced and about 40 output gone wasted.
Fakhar Imam suggested to initiate programs for avoiding the post-harvest losses of high value fruits and asked for encouraging public private partnership for the installation of value addition and dehydration of fruits and vegetables plants that would enhance farm income.
He stressed the need to encourage organic farming, besides producing different jam, which was a viable option for the preservation of fruit pulp and support the cottage industry of Gilgit Baltistan.
The minister asked for exploiting existing potential of trout fish farming in GB, adding that trout farming has been gradually gaining momentum as15 tons of frozen trout supplied in local markets.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister GB apprised the meeting that agriculture sector of Gilgit Baltistan was in dire need of marketing and investment in development and research sectors for lifting it up to make it profitable and exports the locally produce items that would enhance the income of local farm families.
He said agriculture extension department of GB had been provided Rs3.75 billion during last 4 years in order to strengthen agriculture extension services . The projects have been endorsed by the federal ministry. The federal minister said that this is the first time that the government is pushing agriculture forward with great zeal.
Agriculture Minister Gilgit Baltistan urged the federal minister to provide support and technical assistance to address the issues of phytosanitary and certification.