our correspondent
DI KHAN
Minister for Agriculture Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mohibullah Khan Wednesday inaugurated two-day mango festival organized by the Agriculture Research Institute of the district.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, the agriculture minister said that this mango festival in the district was first of its kind which would contribute well for increasing the mango export.
He said that the provincial government was taking tangible measures for development of the agriculture sector which was the backbone of the country’s economy.
Member Provincial Assembly Sardar Faisal Amin Khan Gandapur, Secretary Agriculture Israr Khan, Director Research Institute Dera Dr Aniyat Hussain Shah, Pro Vice Chancellor Agriculture University Prof Dr Ijaz Ahmed and other officials of relevant department were also present on the occasion.
Principal Research Officer Horticulture Abdul Qayum Khan Senior Research Officer Horticulture ImranullahKhan gave briefing about 44 different varieties of mangoes grown in the district.
The minister said that Mango was king of fruit and it was heartening that the district grew so many varieties of export quality Mangoes and would contribute national development.
He urged growers to utilize modern technology to enhance the yield of mango and assured that the provincial government would also extend its full support in this regard.
He said Dere Ismail Khan was one of the country’s most important regions where four sugar mills were operating, producing record wheat production and above all the district grew export quality Dhaki dates which had further magnified its importance.
He said the provincial government had established an agriculture university in the district to promote research activities and develop its agriculture for achieving socio-economic development of not only the province but the country’s too.
He said fundamental measures were being made for development of the agriculture sector under the leadership of Chief Minister Mehmood Khan as per vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He also appreciated initiatives of the Agriculture Research Institute that it had taken for the development of agriculture filed.
