Pakistan’s Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) has planned to establish an agro-food processing facility in Balochistan to minimise post-harvest losses to growers, while also promoting value-addition in horticulture produce.
According to a document, SMEDA, the development wing of the Ministry of Industries and Production, intends to set up a pulping and concentrate production facility for main horticulture produce of Balochistan, such as apple, peach, plum, apricot, tomato, grapes and carrot.
A similar project for mango processing and pulp production was set up in Punjab a few years back, and local SMEs have greatly benefitted from it. After the establishment of this food processing facility in Balochistan, it is expected that the growers of apple, peach, tomato, carrot and plum around and near the province will be able to minimise post-harvest losses thereby improving their profitability through value-addition.
As reported¸ the proposed facility will be a common centre to be utilised for introducing value-addition in the agro-food sector of Balochistan. SMEDA is also conducting a research study to secure expert opinion on market growth, estimation of local market size of the output, current production and market gap, market price of the end product and major buyer segments and geographical markets.
