Chinese market would be cherry on top for Pakistan

ISLAMABAD — Soaked in the summer sun, scarlet cherries glisten softly in the trees standing at the foothills of the Himalayas and Karakoram mountain ranges in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan region. At this time of the year, it is a land with ample varieties of fruits including sweet cherries, tangy apricots and juicy pears.

Nourished by fresh glacial water, and ripened by golden sunbeams coupled with the gentle breeze that whirls around the lap of the world’s highest peaks, experts believe that the cherries will help improve the lives of local people if they can reach foreign markets, including China.

According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, cherries are grown on over 2,500 hectares of land in Pakistan, with Gilgit-Baltistan and the southwestern Balochistan province being the two major cherry producing areas of the country. The country’s total cherry yield in 2016 was more than 6,000 metric tons.

However, Pakistan is not currently as competitive in terms of cherry production and processing compared to some countries, but it is hoped that the situation can be improved if farmers in the country’s main cherry producing regions are given proper guidance, knowledge and technology to meet the demands of the international market.

Pakistani cherries have, so far, been unable to reach many overseas markets other than the United Arab Emirates, because local farmers do not know the process and procedures for properly registering their products for international export. Due to that lack of knowledge, it is hard for them to get the necessary certifications to have an access to high-end foreign trading hubs.

Many Chinese have shown interest in investing in Pakistan and, if they invest in cherry growing areas in the form of corporate farming, value addition and food processing, it will not only benefit the investors, but will also be a win-win situation for locals too.”

Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research

Zulfiqar Ali Ghazi, 47, grows cherries in Gilgit and exports his fruit to the UAE. Ghazi, who has been associated with the cherry production and distribution business for nearly two decades says that there are currently 19 varieties of cherries grown in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, and only a few of them are suitable for export.

The government has provided many cherry plants to farmers this year to enhance production of the fruit in the area and to support local people, he says, adding that it is the right time to focus on growing the varieties for which there is a demand internationally.

“The government should work on getting the international certificates to approve exports of cherries and help us develop a cold chain supply system to preserve them, as their current shelf life is only 7 to 10 days, he says.

“Pakistani cherries have huge potential, but the sector needs urgent attention and support to make its mark in new overseas markets,” he said.

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam, says that cherries have not made any significant inroads into international markets, despite having the potential to do so, and that the government is devising plans to boost the agricultural sector in ways which will eventually benefit all farmers, including the cherry producers.

“The distinctive flavor of our fruits will have an impact on high-end markets, and to achieve that target, we must have a system to regulate the standard and quality of cherries to meet the requirements of those international markets, eventually leading to a greater international demand for them,” he says.

Pakistan’s cherry production is small, so it is mostly focusing on China, which is a big consumer market for cherries, the minister says, adding that the cooperation between the two countries in agriculture under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will also encourage Chinese investors to invest in the country.

“Many Chinese have shown interest in investing in Pakistan and, if they invest in cherry growing areas in the form of corporate farming, value addition and food processing, it will not only benefit the investors, but will also be a winwin situation for locals too.”

Cherry prices remain high in China, and once Pakistani cherries enter the country, it will provide a bigger profit margin that will enable local farmers to increase planting, the minister adds.

The value of fruits can grow after drying, juicing or making preserves and jelly. The Chinese are experts in food processing and their support in the form of joint ventures with local traders, and in corporate farming will help greatly improve the lives of local people, Yasar Saleem Khan, a provincial team manager at the Pakistan office of the Center for Agriculture and Bioscience International, says.

He also stresses the need to replant old, low-density and low-yield orchards with modern varieties, applying improved management practices to enhance yields and improve quality.

“The upgraded process of the value chain and processing infrastructure will not only improve productivity of the fruit and reduce post-harvest losses, but will also enhance the quality of cherries for domestic and international consumption, enabling local farmers to get higher profits,” he explains.

“These need to be initiated by the government and executed in collaboration with the private sector, including joint ventures with Chinese investors, farmers, traders and their groups and associations,” he says.