Citrus production in Pakistan can be enhanced by adopting modern techniques, not only ensuring domestic food requirements will be met, but also help in earning foreign exchange. A spokesman for the Agriculture (Extension) department said yesterday that citrus diseases such as greening, fruit stalk rot, etc. were playing havoc with the production of this fruit. That is why farmers should use the latest technology to cope with fruit diseases.
He said that Pakistan was the 13th world’s biggest producer of citrus fruit but the high demand for seedless citrus worldwide was hampering getting full advantage from it. The country which exports 20% of any fruit production was considered one of the best exporters; citrus is being grown on 175,000 ha across Pakistan with a production of more than 2,276,000 tons.
The citrus diseases including citrus canker, citrus scabs and scabies, fruit stalk rot, greening, etc. attack the plants mostly in July and August, therefore, farmers and gardeners should remain alert and get guidance and help from agriculture scientists to control the diseases on a propriety basis, he added.
