Azeem Ahmed Khan

General Secretary, All Balochistan Arthiyan Fruit and Vegetable Commission Agents Association, Sher Ali Bungulzai, has urged the government to address the production issues faced by apple farmers, which have significantly reduced their profit margins.

"Input costs, such as electricity, fertilizers, pesticides, packing, and transportation, have sharply increased over the past few years," he said while talking to WealthPK. The primary costs in apple production are irrigation, followed by pesticides, labour, fertilizers, and transport, he explained. He highlighted the problem of expensive and limited electricity supply in Balochistan, saying, "Farmers only receive electric supply for three hours a day to run tube wells, and the voltage often fluctuates between 100 and 220 watts."

He added that this reduces water output and damages pumping machines, resulting in significant losses. Bungulzai noted that although the government has promised assistance in installing solar power systems at orchards, the Rs5 million cost of the systems is unaffordable for small farmers. "While the government offers Rs2 million to those opting for solar systems, most farmers still cannot afford it," he said.

Pests impact apple crops and require at least two to three sprays to keep the trees insect-free, while proper fertilisation is crucial for good yields, Bungulzai stated. Farmers use organic fertilizers to cut production costs, as they cannot afford chemical ones, he added. He observed that little research is done to introduce new apple varieties, and farmers are conducting their own tests and trials to develop new varieties.

"When farmers travel abroad, they bring back plants and graft them locally," he explained. He stressed the need to train farmers on maximising their yields at their farms. Bungulzai also pointed out the declining underground water levels over the past 20 years, caused by factors such as climate change, low rainfall, and the absence of small dams. "Spring water used to flow abundantly in Balochistan, and the underground water level was shallow.

Now, in apple-growing areas, the water level is between 800 and 1,200 feet deep," he said. He emphasised the need to educate farmers on climate change and strategies to adapt to its effects. He further urged the government to establish grading and packing facilities in major apple-growing areas of Balochistan to benefit both sellers and buyers. "Balochistan lacks apple grading, processing, and proper packing facilities," he said.

Currently, farmers manually grade apples, mixing small and large apples, which reduces their profits. "If farmers sell apples that are graded, washed, and waxed, it would increase shelf life and their profits," he added. Bungulzai called on the government to provide more cold storage facilities for fruits and vegetables. "Farmers in apple-producing areas often store their fruit outdoors until it can be transported to major cities," he pointed out.

He also mentioned, "About 10% of Balochistan's apples are sold at Quetta's wholesale market, while the remaining 90% are transported to cold storage in wholesale markets in Sargodha, Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rawalpindi, Multan, Hyderabad, Gujranwala, Kohat, and Peshawar." He noted that inadequate transport and packaging facilities damage the fruit. "Transporters use ordinary, unrefrigerated trucks, which lead to breakage of apple crates and damage the fruit," he said.

Bungulzai also expressed concern about the large-scale import of apples from Iran, which negatively affects local farmers' profits. "As soon as farmers start earning reasonable profits, apple imports flood the market, causing prices to drop," he explained. Bungulzai also mentioned the damage caused by the unprecedented floods in 2023, which severely affected apple and date production.

"Production has now returned to normal because the trees were not damaged; only the ripe fruit was destroyed," he said. Apple is Balochistan's top fruit, accounting for the most land, production, employment, and revenue generation. It is grown in Quetta, Killa Abdullah, Pishin, Killa Saifullah, and Kalat districts, where traditional varieties like Tor Kulu, Shin Kulu, Kaja, Amri, and Mashadi are cultivated.

Credit: INP-WealthPk