UNDER the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, Pakistani and Chinese agriculture scientists have successfully cultivated hybrid chillies over 750 acres of land across the South Asian country this season.
Guard Agricultural Research & Services (Pvt) Limited and LTEC from China have joined hands to promote land development across 30,000 acres in 2023-2024. Out of this, 5000-6000 acres of land will be in the central Pakistan province of Punjab, and the rest will be brought under cultivation in the southern province of Sindh.
The project introduced wide chilli varieties, such as Red Sky, along with 16 different trial varieties from LTEC. These varieties were selected to showcase their adaptability to the local climate and their potential for high yields and quality.[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”block” ihc_mb_who=”unreg” ihc_mb_template=”3″ ]
These varieties offer higher yields, i.e., three tons per acre, compared to one ton given by the traditional types and exhibit excellent tolerance and resistance to diseases, insects, and environmental factors. Regarding profitability, chilli crops have a higher profit ratio than conventional crops.
Dr Abdur Rasheed , the biotechnologist of the Guard Agricultural Research and Services Limited claims that chillies worth US 75 million dollars would be exported under this project in the next five years. The area under hybrid chillies cultivation will increase to 200,000 acres in the next five to 10 years. He added that the Chinese would buy around 90 per cent of the production.
According to Prof Dr Ashfaq Ahmad, Director of the Plant Protection Department at Nawaz Sharif University, Multan the hybrid varieties had double production with resistance against diseases.
According to the plan, this area under the chilli crop will be increased to 200,000 acres of land in the future, actually. Setting up a processing plant after achieving 50,000 metric tons of hybrid chilli production and a breeding station to ensure the transfer of technology to chilli production is also part of the proposed collaboration.
NOTE: Muhammad Luqman is a senior reporter with Pakistan’s Suno TV.[/ihc-hide-content]
