ASLP Citrus Scoping Study Report

Pakistan Citrus Industry Challenges: Opportunities for Australia-Pakistan collaboration in Research, Development & Extension PREPARED BY DR GREG JOHNSON HORTICULTURE 4 DEVELOPMENT

Citrus Industry Survey and Workshops, Pakistan, July 2006

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HORTICULTURE 4 DEVELOPMENT

This report details the outcomes and recommendations of a Pakistan citrus industry visit, conducted as part of the Agriculture Sector Linkages Program (ASLP) between Australia and Pakistan.

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Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................................... 1 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................................... 7 METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................................................ 9 1. 2. 3. 4.

SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS AND PLANNING .............................................................................................. 9 VISITS TO CITRUS ORCHARDS, PROCESSORS, PACKHOUSES, MARKETS AND R & D INSTITUTIONS. ............. 10 WORKSHOPS ON CITRUS R, D&E IN PAKISTAN & AUSTRALIA .................................................................. 10 DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF CONSTRAINTS ANALYSIS AND SCOPING VISIT FINDINGS TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND EXTENSION (R, D & E) NEEDS. ................. 10 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................................................................... 11 1. 3. 4. 5. 6.

DOCUMENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT INDUSTRY STATUS AND AVAILABLE INFORMATION. .. 11 GROWER MINI-WORKSHOP AND INDUSTRY WORKSHOP ........................................................................... 16 ANALYSIS OF OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS. ................................................................................... 18 R, D & E ISSUES THAT COULD BE SUPPORTED UNDER ASLP. .................................................................... 18 PROPOSED PROJECT. .................................................................................................................................. 24

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................................................ 26 BIBLIOGRAPHY. .............................................................................................................................................. 27 APPENDIX 1

CITRUS INDUSTRY PAKISTAN ITINERARY AND WORKSHOP PROGRAMS..... 29

APPENDIX 2

AUSTRALIAN CITRUS FAMILIARISATION TOUR REPORT (10-20 MAY, 2006) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................. 36

ACIAR WRAP-UP WORKSHOP IN SYDNEY ........................................................................................................ 37 IMPRESSIONS/LEARNING FROM THE FAMILIARISATION TOUR (PAKISTAN DELEGATES) ..................................... 37 RECOMMENDATIONS, FOLLOW-UP, FEEDBACK AND PAKISTAN INDUSTRY KEY ISSUES AND CONSTRAINTS ..... 38 APPENDIX 3

BACKGROUND: PAKISTAN INDUSTRY STATUS AND FUTURE CHALLENGES 41

APPENDIX 4

OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON NURSERY PRACTICE, CROP PRODUCTION, IRRIGATION AND CROP PROTECTION IN PAKISTAN CITRUS52

CITRUS NURSERY AND CROP MANAGEMENT – OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................... 52 IRRIGATION OF CITRUS IN PAKISTAN – OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................ 56 PEST AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT: OBSERVATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................... 62 APPENDIX 5 APPENDIX 5 A APPENDIX 5 B

PAKISTAN CITRUS INDUSTRY - CONSTRAINTS ANALYSIS AND SCOPING VISIT, JULY 2006 - NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS ...................................................... 71 NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS ................................................................................................. 71 INFORMATION ON EXTERNALLY FUNDED PROJECTS RELEVANT TO THE CITRUS INITIATIVE. . 86

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Scoping Visit Report Executive Summary A Pakistan citrus industry constraints analysis and project scoping visit was undertaken during July 2006, as an agreed activity of the Australia-Pakistan Agricultural Sector Linkage Program (ASLP). A team of 5 Australian citrus R & D specialists, one industry-nominated Australian citrus grower, the ACIAR Horticulture Program Manager, and the ASLP Program Officer participated, while several Pakistani colleagues contributed to planning the activities and/or joined in various activities. The visit had been preceded in May 2006 by an Australian Industry study tour for 11 Pakistan industry representatives, to obtain insights into the Australian industry, to present an overview of their industry to Australian counterparts and set the scene for the activities reported here. The objectives of the industry assessment and project scoping visit were: (i) To assess opportunities and productivity constraints in the Pakistan citrus industry, focussing particularly on the Kinnow mandarin industry in the Sargodha District of the Punjab, and the blood orange industry of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). (ii) To identify (R, D & E) issues that could be addressed through subsequent activities funded under the ASLP. Key elements of the activities were: (i) Documentation of the current industry status and available information. (ii) Six days of field visits to farms, markets, processors and exporters and R & D agencies in Islamabad and Faisalabad, and the citrus production regions1 of the Sargodha District of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province. (iii) A 1-day grower mini-workshop in Sargodha and a 2-day industry priority workshop in Islamabad. (iv) Detailed assessment of the background information, workshop outcomes and industry visit findings, to develop recommendations for future R, D & E needs. The documentation of the industry status provided insights into opportunities and constraints, existing knowledge and information gaps on citrus industry science and management practices in Pakistan, and current and proposed projects that ASLP initiatives would complement. The industry visits and workshop gave the team broad exposure to key R, D & E providers and the citrus sector in Pakistan and insights into opportunities and constraints to productivity. Recommendations on future R, D and E needs were developed through detailed assessment of background information, workshop outcomes and industry visit findings. The workshops and background material also highlighted several overarching structural/policy issues affecting the industry that were beyond the scope of the

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Mangoes, peaches, grapes and apricots (but not mandarin (Kinnow)) were in season at the time of the visits.

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ASLP. It was agreed that ongoing attention to these issues by Pakistan would enhance the impact and achievements of the contributions proposed under ASLP. Objective (i)

Assessment of opportunities and productivity constraints in the Pakistan citrus industry.

Key opportunities for the Pakistan Industry: •

Further development of export markets particularly those in the Middle East, South East Asia, China and Central Asia.

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Further development of the domestic market as supply chains and supermarkets and rail and road infrastructure develop.

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Expansion of market-led opportunities by extending the production season, improving quality management and value adding and processing.

Key constraints for the Pakistan Industry: •

Challenging agri-ecological conditions – high summer temperatures, alkaline soils, low organic matter and saline water – All hamper productivity/contribute to tree decline,

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Inefficient production and irrigation practices – production < 50% of Australian yields,

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Declining profitability due to overproduction and low tree yields – high postharvest losses (40%) and low proportion of first grade fruit (