ISLAMABAD: Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Exporters, Importers, and Merchants Association (PFVA), Waheed Ahmed, on Thursday highlighted a significant drop in fruit production, including oranges, due to climate change, fog, and smog. Talking to a private news channel, he emphasized the critical role of favorable weather in maintaining the quality of fruits and vegetables. He revealed that orange production has dropped to 2.3 million metric tons, marking a 35% decrease this season.
“Exports of oranges have declined from 500,000 tons to just 250,000 tons due to a lack of research and development (R&D) initiatives,” he stated. The Punjab government has allocated Rs. 1.5 billion for the revival of orange farming, he said while adding that it is a much-needed step towards addressing the challenges faced by the agriculture sector.
