ISLAMABAD: The Competitiveness Support Fund (CSF) has expanded its matching grants operations with new projects in the agriculture sector and a mango pack house is proposed to be established in Multan.

Mango pack house, a collaborative effort of the CSF and the Progressive Mango Growers’ Group, Multan, is to be developed for processing and packing of fresh mangoes (Euro GAP certified) for export to Europe and the US.

According to plan, a blast chiller/cold storage facility will be established at the site where mangoes will be treated to improve their quality and shelf life before being shipped out.

Pakistan produces over 1.6 million tons of mangoes annually. Despite this, there is currently no proper facility for washing, de-sapping, grading, and removal of field heat of mangoes.

The planned mango pack house will also be used for processing of citrus and fresh vegetables other than mangoes in the off- season. This facility will be the first of its kind in Pakistan and will greatly help boost exports, said a CSF statement.

The purpose of CSF’s matching grant is to provide co-financing for a project that is innovative and increases efficiency through lower costs, increase in output or quality and generates jobs.

CSF is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), established to reposition Pakistan’s economy on a more global footing.

Currently 10 projects with CSF matching grants are in operation in the country, including common laboratory for drug formulation in Nowshera, the common facility centre for cutlery polishing and finishing in Wazirabad, the value addition in milk supply chain in Balochistan, which is based in Quetta, Pishin and Kuchlak, gems processing centre in Chitral, common facility centre for marble processing in Mohmand Agency, solar kilns for leading clusters of furniture sector in Islamabad, Karachi, Chinoit, Gujrat and Lahore, medicinal berries and fruit processing unit in Ghizer, Northern Areas, automotive simulation design training and service centre, Lahore, meat farm and abattoir in Pattoki and a mango pack house in Multan.

It is estimated that over 11,000 jobs will be generated through these projects of which more than 600 are for men and about 5,000 for women.

The CSF is investing $1.05 million in these projects which are expected to bring in a perceived new investment of $10.47.