To benefit from this vast store of technology the fruit and vegetable processing industry in Pakistan must prepare itself to gradually adopt and/or adapt to the improved technology in stages, like building blocks each new technique for block resting or building upon the one already in place.
Of the total volume of fruits and vegetables it is estimated that 25-30 percent is lost in the marketing process from the time of production to the time of consumption. Agricultural commodities are all perishable, but on degrees of perishability. Fruits and vegetables are perhaps the most perishable because they are living organisms.
There are certain life processes (Physiological changes) constantly taking place. They breathe, they lose moisture in adverse conditions. They mature (oxidise) and decay. The rate of deterioration is affected by the temperature, humidity air movement, atmosphere pressure when harvested, the condition of the product, the level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the environment in which the produce is stored or transported, processing makes fruits and vegetables less perishable and increases the shelf life consequently reducing the losses the main fruits grown are citrus, mango, banana, apple, guava, apricot, plumps, pomegranate and dates.
THEIR AVERAGE PRODUCTION DATA ARE AS UNDER:
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Fruits Volume in 000 tones
Citrus 1411.3
Mango 712.9
Banana 207.6
Apple 212.0
Guava 212.0
Apricot 65.9
Plums 46.9
Pomegranate 36.2
Dates 276.5
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The important vegetables include onion, potato, tomato, beans, cabbage, carrots, garlic and okra. Except for potatoes and onions separate figures for individual vegetables are not readily available. Statistics are also lacking on the utilisation of various commodities moving into the processing channel. It is estimated, in various marketing studies that large quantities, about 90%, are consumed in fresh conditions within the country, the rest being distributed between export (6%) and processing (4%) outlets.
No complete census of industrial units has also so far been undertaken to give a correct figure as to their numbers, much/less their installed capacity, performances etc. Various reports, papers etc prepared by different agencies from time to time give different sets of figures and some time conflicting with another.
The report of the sub-working group on agro-based industry (constituted for giving its findings for inclusion in the country's seventh five-year plan) is the latest available document on the subject. It has identified nine fruit juice/units operating in the country with a total annual production capacity of 66.10 million liters.
The report also reveals that an equal number (9) new units with a total capacity of 83.50. million litters are proposed to be set-up in the near future. With regard to the units engaged in the production of other products (viz fruit preserves cannot fruits syrups) the report gives only the estimate only existing installed capacity as 25, 000 tones.
However, there may be hardly any difference of opinion about their unstable condition. Their exist entry process has continued unabated with some old units going out of business entering the field.
There is no diversification of products. Almost the same and common range of products viz jams, jelly, marmalade, squash, syrups is prepared by the leading processors like Mitchells, Ahmed and Shezan.
There are others, namely Benzs, Top, Bambino who specialise in fruit juice making canned apples and peaches are also produced by some processors but in limited quantities because of less demand as compared to the common line of products of jam, jelly etc.
Among vegetables only peas and tomato undergo processing, the former have been frozen and the later converted into paste and ketchup. As for the price differentials, there are practicably none. For instance, a bottle of marmalade with a net content of 400 grams of any make is presently selling as Rs 42 in retail
In summarising the constraints on development of fruits and vegetable processing industry on sound footing in Pakistan, one must begin with government industrial policy, GoP (Ministry of Industries) issues and industrial policy statement annually.
POLICY CONSTRAINTS: Although stress has been given in this policy statement on the establishment of agro-base industries including fruit and vegetable processing, no specific strategy has been spelled out in this regard. It must address itself to bring home various policy issues concerning particular industries like fruit and vegetable processing, chosen for broad-basing/further development. Sound policy measure must be based on reliable data hard theory and analysis.
However, data is lacking as there has been little scientifically conducted market research. As a result there has been little economic analysis of policies, strategies or projects.
Research in production harvest technology and processing is needed if the target goals are to be achieved, present efforts are having a limited effect because of the duplication of research programs and failure to concentrate efforts on those areas where the pay-off is the greatest
PROCESSING POTENTIALS: Processing is not simply a convenient way of utilising random surplus and so stabilising the pricess in the fresh market. Any major growth in the processing industry must be base on crops grown especially for processing. As processors can only pay a low price they have to compete with the fresh products. Productions and procurement must be very efficient if it is to be worth the growers' while processing plants need the technical support of experts until they train their own personnel.
Careful feasibility studies are needed before processing factories are set up as the future rate is high. A high powered meeting, of the National Fruit and Vegetable Board in 1989 had decided that the Ministry of Industries and ADBP should arrange to have a few typical processing project feasibilities prepared for the guidance of the prospective entrepreneurs, both at home and abroad.
These projects should be viable and major concentration should be on citrus fruit and its by-products. Projects should also be prepared on mango, apple and tomato etc.
The committee set up in the Planning Commission to examine the desirability of extending fiscal concession to the agri/processing industries should finalise its report quickly. How far these decisions have been implemented is not known.
Processing normally qualify for project loaning, they have to present to the lending agencies their project profile with necessary details and once it is accepted, funds are provided on terms conditions laid down for the purpose. Credit availability of volume is adequate. But the delay in sanction of loans due to various reasons including disproportionate the value of collaterals is the main say in this regard.
Although the quantity of fruits and vegetables grown in the country is adequate as nevertheless there is a lack of suitable varieties and the quality is not up to the standard required for processing. No grading facilities are available in the collection centers.
There are also logistics difficulties. Absence of quick transportation due to the lack of link roads and suitable means of transport as well as defective packing and handling result in delay and deterioration of products between picking/harvesting and processing.
The growers must be made aware of these problems by the extension services of the provincial agricultural departments The growers should be educated and persuaded in growing the right types of varieties and the harvest and transport them efficiently.
There is a need for creating a direct business relationship between the grower and the processor This goal may be achieved by adopting the contract method of procurement of fresh products, which would provide an incentive to the farmers to grow suitable varieties, on the one hand, and assure the supply of good quality products to the processors.
These objectives may also be achieved if the growers form their own co-operatives or associations to bypass the middleman for the sale of their produce.
The supervisors and semi-skilled personnel working in the processing units are generally not adequately and professionally trained. The processors should avail of the facilities offered by the agricultural universities and the research organisations for short term training courses for their personnel.
HIGH COST OF PRODUCTION: Quality control is lacking as most of the processing units do not have properly trained and qualified food technologists to exercise proper control for ensuring quality and uniformity of products and efficiency in productions. It should be made imperative to employ such technologists.
Once the products quality is ensured even then our processors can neither offer their products at rates within the reach of the average means consumer nor can they compete abroad in the export market because of their right cost of production which needs to be minimised by arranging the supply of various inputs factors at concessional rates as well as by providing other incentives.
Research organisations of the country may also assist in this regard by finding alternate and cheaper containers. The cost of the presently used containers either of tin, glass and tetra paper being exorbitant a lot towards the cost of production.
The lack of adequate storage arrangements, both for raw material and finished products, with the processors results in colossal spoilage of products and thus, the overall operation is expensive and inefficient. Thus, there is a need for improving the existing storage arrangements in order to minimise products losses and spoilage.