Ahmed Khan Malik

Sindh has recorded a bumper date crop this season; however, its price has gone up, which the growers attribute to the rising cost of agricultural inputs, reports WealthPK.

Dates are termed the "gold crop" in the province, as they bring handsome profits to the growers compared to other crops. As per estimates, Sindh produced 400,000 tons of dates this season compared to 375,000 tons produced last year. "Date crops from Sukkur and Khairpur have started arriving in the markets, and the growers are jubilant over the bumper crop, which is bringing them a good price," said Farooq Samejo, a leading Khairpur-based date grower. Talking to WealthPK, he said the labor force was busy picking the fruit and transporting it to the markets. The labor comes from the southern parts of Punjab and the upper parts of Sindh. "Despite a bumper crop, the prices have risen sharply in the local market.

We are receiving the fruit at a high price compared to the previous year," Nadir Gormani, a fruit merchant plying his trade in Sukkur fruit market, told WealthPK. He said the growers were selling the fruit at a high price owing to inflation, the rising cost of agricultural inputs, as well as the high wages charged by the labor force. The laborers are charging more wages compared to last year. However, he was optimistic that the price would come down in the coming days. Gormani, however, ruled out the possibility of the price coming down to the level of last year, as inflation had hit every segment, including the growers.

Sindh is the largest date-producing province of Pakistan, followed by Balochistan. Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also produce dates. Date production from Sindh accounts for around 52 percent of the total annual production. The crop is grown over an area of 279,855 hectares. Khairpur and Sukkur are the main districts having the highest production and the most suitable climate and soil conditions. Almost 80-85 percent of the fruit is produced in these two districts, while the rest of the produce comes from other areas of the province.

The highest production and long-practiced date culture make Khairpur and Sukkur districts the central venues for successful business venturing. Owing to these characteristics, Aseel is the most grown variety, accounting for almost 85 percent of the total production in Khairpur and Sukkur districts. A good quality Aseel is traded in the local and international markets, while C and D quality Aseel is traded as a popular industrial variety. Likewise, Fasli, Karbalain, and Kupro are also regarded as very good varieties due to their characteristics.

Credit: INP-WealthPk