The arrival of winter brings with it the citrus fruit season. Though Pakistan is one of the world's top producers of citrus, many farmers in Punjab have to face losses due to a lack of awareness about the latest technology for cultivation and harvest of the fruit. To solve this problem, agriculture experts have advised farmers to ensure grafting of citrus trees during September and October to get better production. A spokesman for the agriculture (extension) department said that Pakistan held the 13th position among major citrus producing countries in the world and Punjab contributed 95 per cent of production by producing 2.1 million tons of citrus fruits every year.

He said that citrus trees were cultivated on a large scale in Punjab, but most farmers had to face losses as new methods of cultivation were not used in the production of the fruit. Citrus grafting, he said, could also increase production, and farmers should focus on it during the best seasons, which are September-October and February-March. Farmers should immediately select healthy trees for grafting, and in this connection, they could also take guidance from agriculture scientists, he added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk