Strawberry cultivation mostly by small farmers in riverine areas in the Sukkur and Khairpur region has remained stable over the past few years.

While strawberry growers are satisfied with farm productivity they complain about below expected market prices.

Strawberry cultivation started in Sindh about a decade ago. Usually the small growers take 2-10 acres of land under varying contracts to cultivate the fruit.

Strawberry cultivation started in Sindh about a decade ago. Usually the small growers take 2-10 acres of land under varying contracts to cultivate the fruit

Grown in mid-October, the fruit is usually ready for harvest in January. By mid-February the harvesting gets in full swing only to end in April.

The provincial agriculture department counts strawberry among minor crops. Delayed official statistics showed that it was grown on 236ha in 2013-14. Last season, 767 metric tonnes of strawberry was produced from a nominally reduced acreage.

Currently, the farmers get Rs110-120 per packet of 0.5kg (almost 500gm) while the retail price ranges between Rs150-160 per packet.

Abdul Khaliq, a grower from Sukkur, sold his produce for Rs100-130 per packet initially in January fearing that price would drop as harvesting picks up pace. At the end of last season, he says, the average price had dropped to Rs50-70 per packet.

These small growers depend on middlemen for fruit’s seed/plant. Seed reaches the growers via Karachi from Swat where it is mostly grown. For the current crop, say growers, they bought plants for Rs2 each, against the normal 90 paisas-Re1 per plant.

Since the fruit is grown in katcha area of the Indus, growers use tube-wells to lift groundwater for irrigation. Soil of katcha area is most suited to strawberry cultivation. Farmer Hidayatullah says, “Soil in riverine area has silt deposits due to annual flooding and suits strawberry cultivation as this land has different nutrients.”

Farmers say that they don’t use pesticides as strawberry is hardly hit by any pest. According to one estimate, per acre yield in Sindh is close to 8,000 packets in one season. Growers don’t rule out the prospects of getting Rs300,000-400,000 per annum per acre after excluding per acre cost of production. Around 90,000-100,000 plants are grown in an acre.

Grower Raza Mahar estimates per acre cost of production varying between Rs175,000-200,000 given the expense on DAP fertiliser, tube-well and labour during sowing and picking of the fruit. A labourer charges Rs50 per hour for work.

Strawberry is mostly sold in big cities like Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur. Some growers transport the fruit in buses to Karachi immediately after harvesting to avoid losses as the fruit has a short shelf life.

Published in Dawn, Business & Finance weekly, February 13th, 2017