TDAP Has Organised A First Ever Dates Show and Seminar In Gwadar

[Salman]

PR KARACHI - Trade Development Authority of Pakistan has organised a first ever Dates Show and Seminar in Gwadar. The objective was to provide technical awareness on dates sector of Balochistan to growers and to promote export of dates from Balochsitan.

Around 150 growers, exporters of dates, representatives from Balochistan Dates Growers Association, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, Plant Protection Department, Agriculture Research Department GOB, Agriculture Extension Department of Balochistan, Head of Rural Support Programme Turbat and Chairman GPA attended the seminar. Gulab Jan, Chairman District Council, Gawadar was the chief guest of the seminar. Besides seminar, dates show was also organized. Around 10 exhibitors from different parts of Balochistan exhibited more than 50 kinds of dates, which include Bagam Jangi, Kaharba & Mozawati. Punjab Hillavi, Khudrawi, Zahidi, Shmran, shukkar, Dakki, Halimi etc and Ajwa.

During the seminar, the speakers emphasized on improvement of quality of dates production in Balochistan by using latest technology and development of processing plant in the region. They further suggested that there is a huge scope on value addition of dates. One grower/exporter in Balochistan is already developing dates syrup, dates jam and dates paste. This is the first time that such type of successful dates show and seminar was held in Gwadar.

The dates growers of the area particularly from Turbat and Panjgoor have been facing multiple technical problems due to lack of awareness. The Balochistan Dates Growers Association urged TDAP to make this event as a regular annual feature. They also suggested organizing awareness seminar in Turbat as well.

During the seminar, DG TDAP assured the growers/exporters of dates from Balochistan that TDAP will arrange their participation in international exhibitions and will send delegation of dates growers of the region to potential international markets for promotion of exports of dates .He briefed the participants about date show in Karachi and Expo Pakistan.

Balochistan produces 225000 tons of dates from an area of 42.3 thousand hectares and contributes 53 per cent to the total national output. Dates are second after apples in the area. The Makran Division is the largest date producer area in the country after Sukkur. In the province, the Kech district share is 59 per cent.