August 2, 2003	Saturday	Jumadi-us-Sani 3, 1424

LAHORE, Aug 1: Federal Industries Minister, Liaquat Ali Jatoi has said that a number of Singaporean and Saudi companies have expressed their interest in establishing mango preservation and processing plants in Pakistan.

“The plants, if established, will be helpful in boosting the exports of this fruit and its products,” he said during an informal talk with a group of economic correspondents here.

Pakistan’s annual horticulture exports, mainly those of citrus and mango, are presently around $106 million against global horticulture trade of $77 billion.

He said that government was planning to set up two fruit processing plants i.e. one each for apple and dates, in Balochistan.

“The processing will not only improve presentability of the fruit but increase its shelf life,” Jatoi said.

When asked about the steps taken for the realignment of SMEDA’s human resource base, the minister categorically stated that the committee was not aimed at cutting down the strength of the employees of this organization. “Rather, we want to have a suitable person against every post,” he said.

He said that similar steps were taken for the revamping of other organizations like National Fertilizer Corporation (NFC) and National Productivity Organization (NPO).

Jatoi said that some 200 productivity villages were being developed across the country. “We have developed village Kurri near Islamabad as a prototype by providing technical training centre and computer literacy facility,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said that government was not against the increase of players in Pakistan’s automobile sector. “We will not oppose any new automobile company wishing to invest in Pakistan,” he said. —APP