PUNJAB has embarked on a project to establish model farms for producing best quality products and enhancing exports, especially to the high-end foreign markets where Pakistani produce having better taste and cosmetic beauty are in high demand, says PC-I of the project.

The plan envisages making 250,000 acres of land (75,000 acres each for citrus, mango and potato and 25,000 acres for other vegetables) compliant to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). Out of these 40,000 acres, comprising 50 clusters, will be Global GAP certified.

A certification plan is being introduced for farms’ compliance with sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) requirements of the international consumer market,” says a technical expert affiliated with the government’s Rs3.261bn project.

‘A certification plan is being introduced for farms’ compliance with sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) requirements of the international consumer market’

The expert laments that the local supply-based instead of demand-driven farm production system results in low prices of farm products, especially during the peak season, while consumers pay high prices during offseason. “This not only generates low returns to the farmers but also robs the consumers of the required quality and quantity of the produce they pay for.”

Development of an intelligent web-based traceability system is also part of the project, and Deputy Secretary Planning, Dr Ghanzanfar, believes the system will act as passport for selected products for entry in the international markets that prefer certified and traceable products.

The PC-I reveals that the owners of the GAP-compliant land will be provided farm machinery at a subsidised rate of Rs2,500 per acre up to a maximum of Rs3m. Likewise, pack houses, processing units, cold storages and common facility centres will be established on 50-50 cost-sharing basis with a cost of Rs15m each unit/facility, it says. Trade will be promoted by participation in world trade fairs, exhibitions, single country shows.

“The GAP compliance and provision of subsided machinery with improved supply chain will facilitate 30pc increase in farm produce exports as our special focus will be on citrus, mango, potato and vegetables,” hopes an official of the agriculture department.

Under the project, capacity of farmers will be built through trainings in GAP and production technologies. Vegetable growers will attend weekly and fruit growers fortnightly classes.

Qasim Aijaz Qureshi, who is engaged in citrus export business, acknowledges the need for GAP certification but is apprehensive about the implementation of the project. “The department had announced launching a similar project a couple of years ago but its implementation could not go beyond holding off and on meetings.”

The agriculture department’s official says a firm or consortium of firms (Value Chain Technical Assistance Team) with international experience in imparting training and capacity building and market-related activities in horticulture sector will be outsourced to address the project’s requirements.

Currently, only 30 mango orchards over 1,757 acres, nine citrus farms over 1,462 acres are presently GAP certified.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 26th, 2017