LAHORE
\nPakistan-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) President Moazzam Ghurki said on Thursday that Pakistan is importing silk worth Rs 67 billion and it produces more silk locally, it will provide employment to 600,000 people mostly the rural women.
\nSharing his views in a think-tank session here at PCJCCI Secretariat, he added that Mulberry is one of the most popular fruits in Pakistan. Mulberry trees, fast-growing and small to medium-sized, are being cultivated in rural areas of Pakistan.
\nApart from wide presence in Punjab, these can also be found in KPK, Abbottabad, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
\n\u201cThanks to the hot climate, the growth period of mulberry trees in Pakistan is about 10 months, which means its leaves can be harvested several times within one year,\u201d he said.Ghurki said that it is a fruit tree with no part going waste its leaves can be used as feed for silkworms, which provide silk for the textile sector; its branches are used to make different types of baskets that can be seen in almost every rural house of Pakistan. Its fruit is edible and can be processed into mulberry juice, powder, jam, vinegar, and tea.
\nThe PCJCCI Senior Vice President Fang Yulong said that the techniques of seed cultivation can be commonly used. \u201cMost of our techniques can also be applied in Pakistan as long as local climate fits.\u201d
\nHe added that several improved mulberry varieties selected and bred by the research institute has proved to increase mulberry leaf output by around 30 percent.
\nUp till now, two new series, namely, Nongsang and Qiangsang, have covered over 70 percent of China\u2019s grafted mulberry fields.
\nThese were also provided to farmers, contributing to the country\u2019s fight against poverty.
\nHe added that mulberry saplings have been exported to Uzbekistan. By providing technical support such as breed selection and planting guidance to the Chinese companies cooperating with Uzbek government, this can also be applied in Pakistan as long as water resources suffice.
\nFor areas with inadequate water, we can grow seedlings in China when they are vulnerable and then graft them to Pakistan. Vice President Hamza Khalid said that Punjab is the area with most potential because around seventy percent of flora is found in Punjab.
\nAnd in terms of population, Punjab can also play an important role in this industry. While, Secretary General Salahuddin Hanif said, \u201cOur target should be to engage 1,000 families in this business in ongoing spring season.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAHORE Pakistan-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) President Moazzam Ghurki said on Thursday that Pakistan is importing silk worth Rs 67 billion and it produces more silk locally, it will provide employment to 600,000 people mostly the rural women. Sharing his views in a think-tank session here at PCJCCI Secretariat, he added that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":378910,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-387439","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n