KHAIRPUR: The 10th Khajoor Festival and Seminar was inaugurated by former Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Open Air Theatre here on Saturday. Pigeons were released into the air amid clapping to mark the formal opening of the festival.

More than 60 stalls have been set up at the venue by date palm growers, various provincial departments and non-governmental organisations, including those working in the agriculture sector. Mr Shah visited many of the stalls and discussed with growers and exporters ways to improve the quality and increase the per-acre yield of date crops in Khairpur and other parts of the province.

He advised growers not to stay contented on exports of dry dates (chhuwara) to India alone but explore opportunities to expand the export to other countries as well. In this regard, he said, they should seek assistance of federal government and relevant institutions.

Speaking as the chief guest at the seminar, Mr Shah noted with pleasure that ripe and dried dates of Khairpur district were in great demand abroad. He said federal government should pay due attention to the crop and its export in order to earn as much foreign exchange as possible. This would also bring prosperity to the country, the province and obviously greatly benefit the growers of dates.

He particularly encouraged date growers’ organisations to play a proactive role in this regard. Mr Shah said agricultural experts should attend such seminars in a bigger number and guide growers and other stakeholders about how to increase production of various date varieties and how to improve and preserve the commodity.

He suggested publication of awareness and technical information including lectures, advice and expert opinions so that such material could be distributed among stakeholders in the larger interest of the country. Literature to attract local and foreign buyers should also be published to promote the chief crop of this district, he said.

He said Khairpur district should be recognised as producer of quality dates and its potential must be explored further. He regretted that heavy allocations were made every year for the agriculture sector but much of the funds would lapse due to non-utilisation.

Khairpur Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Naeem Sandhu speaking at the seminar proposed introduction of agricultural reforms and setting up of a board of date palm growers and traders.

The former CM stressed the need for educating growers about protecting their crops from diseases, pests and viruses. Especially, he added, the young generation should seek proper knowledge of farming and they must be guided by their elders and experts of the field.

Agriculture Extension director at Sukkur Rasool Bakhsh Junejo, several agricultural experts, major date palm growers and officials of the departments concerned also expressed their views at the seminar.

A delegation of Chinese industrialists who are currently setting up a steel industry in thew Khairpur Special Economic Zone also attended the seminar.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2019