MINGORA: A large number of people from across the country thronged a peach festival held at Agriculture Institute Swat on Sunday.

The festival was organised by Pakhtunkhwa Fruit Nursery and Agri-tourism Development Corporation of Pakistan in collaboration with Agriculture Institute Swat to promote the local peach and agriculture tourism.

Different varieties of peaches were put on display at the festival that attracted a large number of tourists, researchers, farmers, students and fruit lovers from different parts of Swat.

Organisers say event meant to promote agri-tourism in Swat

The organisers of the festival said that Swat produced 67 per cent of the total peach in the country. They said that they wanted to promote various varieties of the Swat peach.

“Today agri-tourism is a well-established industry in the rest of the world and farmers earn huge amount through it but unfortunately it is not known here,” said Nadia Bostan, an agriculture expert and focal person for the festival. She added that the festival was the first step to introduce agri-tourism in Swat.

Ms Bostan said that it was an effort to link fruit growers and tourists. She said that festival of other fruits of Swat would be held in the coming years.

Baber Azam, a representative of Agri-tourism Lahore, said that Swat was not only scenic but it also produced variety of fruits. “It is also unique that about 18 varieties of peach have been introduced by Agriculture Institute of Swat which are not found anywhere in the world,” he added.

The farmers appreciated the organisers of the festival and said that such events must be held regularly so that the consumers from across the country could contact them directly for the purchase of peach as well as other fruits.

Mohammad Ayaz, the director of Agriculture Research Institute Swat, said that a large number of farmers and consumers attended the event that was an encouraging sign as the institute was working for promotion of farmers.

Earlier, the visitors were briefed about the peach and its different varieties along with other fruits produced in Swat. They were also visited peach and other fruit orchards.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2019