PHDEC Organizes Workshop on Banana Pre-Harvest, Harvest, and Post-Harvest Techniques in Uthal Region of Baluchistan

Independent desk.
Uthal. Oct. 23
The Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company (PHDEC) held an important workshop on banana cultivation, harvest, and post-harvest handling at Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Uthal, Balochistan, on October 22, 2024. The workshop aimed to enhance the capacity of banana growers, farm managers, and key farm workers, focusing on production technologies, good agricultural practices (GAP), and effective harvest and post-harvest management. Special attention was given to improving processing, packaging, logistics, and storage to boost the quality and appearance of bananas, which is critical for increasing exports.
Banana is a major fruit crop in Pakistan, cultivated on approximately 90,000 acres. Pakistan’s main export destinations for bananas include Iran, Afghanistan, and the Central Asian Republics (CARs). While the demand for Pakistani bananas is strong in CARs, these markets require high-quality fruit with superior cosmetic appeal. To meet these demands, the workshop emphasized educating stakeholders across the supply chain, including farmers, processors, and exporters.
Around 93% of Pakistan’s banana production comes from Sindh province, with the remaining 17% in Balochistan, where Uthal and surrounding areas are key growing regions. Mr. Muhammad Khawar Nadeem, Manager Agri from PHDEC welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of the workshop in his opening remarks. He underlined PHDEC’s commitment to developing horticultural export strategies, supporting growers, and exploring new market opportunities. He also stressed the need to align banana production with international standards to meet the growing global demand.
Dr. Ghulam Khaliq, Associate Professor of Horticulture at Lasbela University, lauded PHDEC’s initiative, expressing hope that the workshop would be beneficial for Balochistan’s banana growers. He explained the challenges of low production in Pakistan, attributing it to malpractices and the lack of knowledge regarding recommended production technologies. Dr. Khaliq also provided training on harvesting techniques, safe handling, and proper packing and packaging of bananas. He highlighted the causes of post-harvest losses, such as premature or over-mature harvests, poor sorting and grading practices, inadequate storage conditions, and improper packaging. To minimize these losses, he recommended that growers adopt standard practices and urged the government to provide facilities like proper packaging materials and refrigerated transport.
The workshop also featured insights from an expert from the Department of Plant Pathology at Lasbela University, who provided a detailed analysis of the current crop status and recommended future actions. Participants were encouraged to use balanced fertilizers, proper irrigation, and pest management to enhance both yield and quality.
Mr. Imtiaz Hussain, Deputy Director of Quarantine at the Department of Plant Protection, discussed the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements for exporting bananas to CARs, while Mr. Farrukh Hassan, Senior TIR at National Logistics Corporation, shared information about NLC’s services for banana transportation to CARs, highlighting NLC’s ongoing work in Sindh to support banana exports.
The event concluded with remarks from Dr. Mubarak Ahmed, Agro Consultant at the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), who shared insights into the challenges and future directions for Pakistan’s banana value chain. Dr. Dost M. Baloch, the Vice Chancellor of Lasbela University, in his concluding address, appreciated PHDEC’s efforts and emphasized the importance of capacity-building activities for farmers. He noted that improving the cosmetic quality of bananas is essential for sustainable exports and pledged full support to PHDEC and local banana farmers to uplift the banana sector in Balochistan.
The workshop ended with a Q&A session, where participants had the opportunity to engage with experts and gain further insights. This successful collaboration between PHDEC and Balochistan’s banana exporters reflects a strong commitment to advancing the horticulture sector, with a particular focus on banana cultivation and export development