Seminar on Mango Quality, Production, Opportunities and Challenges held at Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam
Tando Jam: Dr. Fateh Muhammad Marri, Vice Chancellor Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam proposed on Wednesday to establish ‘farmers’ markets’ in major cities of province, engaging producers to sell their own products there.
“They should be facilitated by providing seed money as a grant because they do not have finance for promoting business”, he said in his concluding remarks at a seminar on ‘Mango: Quality Production, Opportunities and Challenges’, organized by SAU in collaboration with Sindh Abadgar Board, Sindh Agriculture Research Institute Tandojam and Sindh Enterprise Development Fund (SEDF) on Wednesday.
The event attracted mango producers, traders, exporters, agriculture department officials and entrepreneurs.
The Vice Chancellor said mango products start from its nursery, which must have healthy plants. “There is need of introducing technology for processing and marketing to capture market.”
He said university is going to establish clean mango nursery. “We are encouraging graduates to bring business plans and engage them for mango processing, packing and grading and adapt online marketing mechanism.”
He also suggested displaying mango varieties in Karachi and other cities’ large shopping malls and major markets.
“We claim a lot but in real sense we are not competitor with other countries in terms of export quality because of lacking management, packing and grading skills,” Dr. Fateh said.
Abdul Rahim Soomor, Secretary Sindh Agriculture Department in his address said there is need of action over the recommendations produced by this seminar. He added that there is a gap in research, which shows poor results in yield compared to other nations of the world in terms of quality products.
Responding to queries, he said agro processing zones were established in 2000 in nine cities of Sindh. “Now we are struggling to revive these processing zones through public private partnership. We will involve Sindh investment board in the agribusiness.”
He also discussed seed issue in the province and said government’s research institutes and Sindh Agriculture University graduates may be engaged to meet the needs of providing certified seeds.
Mahboobul Haque, CEO, SEDF said there is great potential of agribusiness for farmers. “We are planning to strengthen supply chain with setting up cold storage, transportation and distribution mechanism.”
He said public private partnership may play effective role and offered farmers to establish small scale value addition plants at their farms so they may directly deal with products, like fruits and other crops.
He said there is no issue of financing for small scale entrepreneurship and added that though in some cases even commercial banks seem reluctant for lending to farmers but they provide grants to promote agribusiness. He said there are other windows and platforms for growers to avail opportunities.
Mahmood Nawaz Shah, vice president Sindh Abadgar Board suggested to have high density crops and fruits. He claimed to have established high density mango orchards on four acre land and waiting to receive products. “Traditionally we plant 35-38 trees on one acre land. But following high-density we may have 1000 trees on the same piece of land and can have more yields.”
Nabi Bux Sathio, another farmer, leading Sindh Chamber of Agriculture, said there is no survival except value addition practices in agriculture crops like onion, chili, tomato and various fruits, including mango.
“We can manage postharvest losses through adapting modern practices,” he said, adding that we usually invest in crops production and wait for three- four months to get return. “Thus we have to initiate value addition to earn without waiting for three or four months.”
Aga Zafarullah Durani, grower and exporter said for the postharvest management farmers themselves may encourage educated persons as farm managers so they may help them and avoid this kind of losses. “We should change traditional practice and adapt modern practices to avoid losses and earn income”, he said.
Dr. Zulfiqar Yousfani speaking on mango pulp productions said this is time when mango product harvesting has started. “We have to take initiative to avoid post harvesting loss,” he said.
“When you will visit to any mango farm after June 20 you may see yellow mangoes fell around trees. We have to stop this loss.”
He said late variety mango cannot give benefit to Sindh growers, because at that time Punjab fruits flooded in the local markets. Thus, we have to conduct research on early variety of fruits.
Ghulam Sarwar Panhwar, director M.H. Panhwar Farm, shared new modern practices for markets. He claimed to have three farms in which produce around 32 varieties of mango, early varieties, mid time and late varieties for markets.
“We have mango varieties starting from May and continue to August available in the farms. We have nursery of mangoes where we grow fruits where we have healthy plants.”
Nadeem Shah Jamot, a progressive farmer said we have to assign agriculture graduates to manage farms to avoid losses and produce more yield. “This is a key to save their products.”
He appreciated role of women in agriculture, pre and postharvest management ad said these women may be encouraged.
Mohsin Soomro, value chain specialist at International Trade Center- Growth for Rural Advancement Sustainable Program (Grasp) said postharvest is not only for mango, but tomato and other products have also the similar issues. Thus farmers should adapt processing, storage, packing and marketing mechanism.
He said they have initiated funding for small and medium enterprise development and encouraging rural entrepreneurs.
Muhammad Younus Khatri, director HB international Hyderabad-Toledo (USA) cities CEO said that there is huge opportunities between two cities to exchange promoting culture, business, research, health and education. He said farmers can get opportunities to export Sindhri mango to Toledo city. He added that an MOU has been signed between Hyderabad and Toledo cities for the purpose.
Mukhtiar Shaikh of Al Rahim Processing facilities for mango, tomato and other fruits said there are 70 percent Sindhri variety and 30 percent other varieties.
He said they have future plans in Khairpur district and planning to add date products. He advised farmers to get directly involved in the processing and packing. He also advised university to assign tasks to PhD students to conduct studies on these products and value additions.
Dr. Khalil Ibupoto, VC Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur, sought collaboration with SAU to promote agriculture. He told having launched Agriculture department at the university to benefit farmers in the district.
Noor Muhammad Baloch, Director General Sindh Agriculture Research Institute Tandojam said that demand of mango is growing internationally therefore farmers should avail these opportunities and earn income.
Prof Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, Director University Advancement and Focal Person at SAU said that there is a great potential for value addition mango through washing, drying, grading and packing will greatly enhance the product quality of mango.
Mango is grown in more than 100 countries of the world but Sindhri mango variety is unique in taste and aroma for export and to earn foreign income.
Suleman G Abro, of NGO Safwco also spoke.
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