PHDEC organises webinar on Banana Fruit Quality

KARACHI: A webinar on “Improving Banana Fruit Quality through Farm Management Techniques; especially disease and pest control in Banana Cultivation” was conducted.

The primary objective of the webinar was the capacity building of Banana growers/farmers on Orchard Management for Good Quality and Yield.

Banana is a major fruit crop of Pakistan. In current fiscal year (July-Jan) US$ 30 Million banana is exported mainly from Hyderabad banana cluster.

Central Asia has emerged as new fast growing market for export of banana. Pakistan produces banana on about 33 thousand ha with a total production of 142 thousand tons giving an average yield of 4 tons per ha, which is only one-fifth of the world average. Majority (93 percent) area and production (83 percent) of Pakistan lies in Sindh province, it is mainly grown in Sindh province where the soil and climatic conditions are favorable for its successful cultivation.

In the subject webinar, Dr. Abdul Mubeen Lodhi, Professor Department of Plant Protection, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam provided a detailed overview of banana orchards with special emphases related to banana orchards management for high yield and good quality.

Mr. Athar Hussain Khokhar, the CEO of PHDEC informed the participants that under PHDEC platform different initiatives are taken for improving quality and value addition chain of different products. He alkso informed that PHDEC will provide assistance in availing untapped potential of export in new international markets, and will provide international technical consultant for improving banana’s value chain.