The Balochistan government has initiated multiple measures to promote less water-intensive species like olives, pine nuts and pistachio due to the pre-vailing climate change situation in the area. Pista-chio being a climate-resilient and low-water-consuming crop could be grown in the cold areas of Balochistan without a conventional irrigation sys-tem.
The environment of cold regions of Balochistan including Quetta, Zhob, Killa Saifullah, Pishin, Mastung, Khuzdar and Kalat districts was the best for pistachio cultivation and its higher production. Balochistan agriculture minister Asadullah Baloch said the department is encouraging farmers to culti-vate pistachio, olive, saffron and other low water consuming trees in the colder areas of the province, especially Quetta division, to yield its optimum production.
The objective of the initiative was to divert local farmers’ attention from growing traditional wheat crops and focus on cultivating high-value crops, he said while talking to APP on Wednesday. It was a pilot project of the agriculture department and the farming was being carried out at designated sites of the centre showing positive results with respect to germination, seed multiplication and community response, he added. Baloch said the department was carrying out research and working with farmers to improve cultivation techniques.
The Balochistan government was taking steps to enhance the export of fruits and vegetables to boost the agro sector, he added. “It will also help promote value chain development for generating sustainable income for local communities from the products,” he added. Meanwhile, Balochistan besides huge natural resources also has another untapped poten-tial in the form of delicious and unique plants which need the authorities’ attention as the province is facing a decline in production due to no processing facilities.
