The government should establish units for peach juice extraction, pulping, drying and making powder in Swat to help increase exports and make the local economy sustainable. Rehmat Ali, a peach grower from Swat, told WealthPK that he had been farming peaches for 20 years over an area of 25 acres with 150 mature trees each acre. “A peach tree matures in seven to eight years, but gives fruit when it reaches three years of age,” he said, adding the agriculture department provided them with free grafting of new varieties. He said amid inflation and high input costs, the government should extend soft loans to farmers to bring more areas under peach cultivation and produce quality fruit. He said Dir and Malakand districts were also famous for producing quality peach. He said people prepared jams from peach and also dried the fruit to earn a living. However, he said that the region’s true potential in peach production was yet to be exploited. He said a fruit grading plant had been established in Swat with the coordination of the Italian government.

“A peach pulp demonstration unit is also part of the plant, but it is not for commercial use. Israr Khan, an agriculturist from Khwazakhela tehsil of Swat, told WealthPK that according to a market survey in 2021, different fruits worth Rs12 billion were traded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with peach trade accounting for more than half of the amount. He said he owned a peach nursery, and sold about 10,000 young plants for Rs70 to Rs150 each. He also emphasised the importance of value addition with the government support. Meanwhile, talking to WealthPK, Moazzam Ghurki, President of Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI), said enhanced peach cultivation and its value-added products could fetch a fortune for the local industry. “Promotion of peach orchards-related tourism activities will also add to the income of communities,” he stressed. He said the government should support the marketing, value addition and export of peach of Swat. “In recent years, Swat has become a tourism hub of Pakistan.

But its peach industry has not got the attention it deserved to boost the local economy.” He quoted the example of a small township in China’s Xinjiang, where the peach flower festival attracted a large number of tourists. “Tourists who visit to see peach blossoms, mostly return to buy ripened fruit. The Pakistani government can organise such festivals to promote tourism and tap potential in the fruit and farming sector.” Moazzam said in 2020, China helped Pakistan develop a sprinkler that could adjust the spray pressure according to different peach growth stages. “It helps with infestations and makes peach blossoms more beautiful.” He said that the Swat Motorway, which was also part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, would help improve the accessibility of fresh and value-added peach products to other parts of the country and faraway places.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan