F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Pineapple, the world most favorite dessert and much sought after fruit for being rare in Pakistan, has now become part of the list of fruit items in Peshawar due to its easily availability in the city markets and adjoining areas.
Fruit lovers in Peshawar are now a days relishing fresh and juicy pineapples due to its easy availability on almost every fruit shop and hand carts.
Fresh pineapples are seen on display at fruit shops and that’s too at a reasonable price, much to the astonishment of customers.
A single pineapple weighing around one to one and a half kg is available at prices ranging from Rs. 160 to Rs. 220 and Rs. 220. The price of the fruit depends on location as at some areas its prices is reasonable and in posh localities the dealers are charging high.
“My children are very happy over seeing and eating fresh pineapple for the first time in their life,” says Muhammad Shakil a city dweller.
We had tasted for several time imported tinned pineapple, but fresh fruit is a new thing for me and my children alike, he continued.
Earlier it was difficult for my wife to remove the hard peel of the fruit, but now she has become use to it in cutting and making slices, Shakil informed.
He said in prevailing winter season we have limited items of fruits including citrus, banana and apple, but arrival of pineapple has added a variety, increasing option for customers.
According to doctors, pineapple is not only delicious in taste, but also nutritive enough and beneficial for health.
“The favorite fruit (pineapple) made its entry into the markets of Pakistan a couple of years ago, but with a high price tag,” said Abdul Rauf, a fruit dealer at Warsak road of Peshawar.
However, now this time its price is reasonable due to availability of the fruit in abundance in the markets, informed the fruit dealer.
Abdul Rauf informed that a carton containing around 10 pineapples is available at a price of around Rs. 1200 in main fruit market at Chamkani area.
The dealers, he continued, sell it at the price of their own choice, keeping in mind a suitable margin on per piece ratio.
Some of the hand cart owners adopted a new way to earning more profits by selling the pineapple by cutting it into slices.
From each pineapple, I made around 12 to 15 round slices which are than sold at a price of Rs. 20 per slice, making a total of around Rs. 240 to 300, informed a vendor at Firdous Chowk area on main G.T road.
People who don’t want to buy the whole pineapple opt for eating a few slices by sprinkling some spices over them, making it tastier, he added.
“Availability of fresh pineapple in Peshawar and other parts of the country is because of import of the fruit from neighbouring countries,” comments Fawad Ishaq, Chairman Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company.
Talking to media, Fawad Ishaq said introduction of new technologies adopted by farmers and growers around the globe is resulting in high growth of fruit and vegetable.
Pineapple, he continued, is a tropical fruit and can be grown in different parts of Pakistan especially in Sindh province, but unfortunately proper attention is not given to it in regard with commercial farming.
Fawad said in fruit business import is increasing and that is why now the price of pineapple is reasonable due to import of the commodity in abundance.
Earlier, he continued, the fruit was imported by a limited number of importers as a result of which its availability was less and price was high.
Fawad Ishaq also stressed upon the growers to learn modern techniques like drip irrigation and dense population for increasing production and for earning more profit.
In Pakistan farmers have great advantage of having four different weathers through which they can avail a lot of benefits by growing different fruits and vegetables through adopting scientific approach, Fawad observed.
