ISLAMABAD, Nov 26: Australia has shown interest in helping Pakistan to increase production of grapes in Balochistan.

Australian High Commissioner Zorica McCarthy met the caretaker Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Prince Muhammad Isa Jan Baloch on Monday and discussed with him cooperation in maximising production of grapes crop in the province.

The minister told the Australian high commissioner that the existing collaboration between the two countries should be further strengthened for upgrading livestock, citrus fruits and mangoes in Pakistan.

He suggested exchange of farmers’ delegations between the two countries to benefit from the modern farm technology and their expertise.

Ms McCarthy assured the minister that her country would provide all possible training to the Pakistani farmers for better production of grapes.

Additional Secretary Muhammad Saleem Khan Jhagra and other ministry officials were also the meeting.

A multi-million dollar Australia Pakistan agriculture sector linkages programme is already focused on providing Australian knowledge and expertise to key sectors of agribusiness in Pakistan to increase profitability and enhance export potential.

The programme is aimed to contribute to poverty alleviation among farmers with small landholdings through collaborative research and development and to enhance the capacity of research and development and extension system to deliver practical research formulae to the agribusiness and farmers.

The programme is focused on the horticulture (mango and citrus) and livestock (dairy) enterprises, while at the same time addressing issues of water management and institutional and technical capacity building.

The food ministry officials informed the Australian high commissioner that Balochistan was famous for production of quality fruits like almond, apple, apricot, cherry, grapes, peach, plum, and pomegranate due to climatic suitability.

After apple grape is the second major fruit in the province. These fruits contribute about 15.22 per cent and 10.17 per cent both in area and production, respectively, in the province.

A number of varieties of grapes are grown in highland areas of the province. The main grape producing areas are Quetta, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Mastung, Kalat, Loralai and Zhob districts.

But only Pishin, Qila Abdullah and Mastung districts produce more than 70 per cent of the total grape production of the province. The grape production during the last decade increased from 31,010 to 73,787 tons with an increase of 138 per cent mainly due to rural electrification, which resulted in installation of tube wells. If more attention is focused on mechanisation, labour requirements and crop management the production can be increased by another 25 per cent.