THE districts of Panjgur, Washuk and Turbat in Balochistan are renowned for producing some of the world’s finest dates, accounting for a staggering 70 per cent of the country’s total date production. However, despite such an impressive yield, the date industry in Balochistan is facing a crippling challenge: the lack of processing and packaging facilities.

This glaring omission forces the local farmers to export raw dates to Iran, where they are packaged and sold back to Pakistan at exorbitant rates.

This absurd scenario not only deprives Balochistan’s date farmers of a fair price for their produce, but also perpetuates a cycle of economic dependence. It is nothing short of ironic that Pakistan imports packaged dates from Iran, while our own farmers struggle to access basic processing facilities.

The government needs to recognise the immense economic potential of Balochistan’s date industry and take concrete steps to support it. Establishing modern processing and packaging facilities in the province would boost the local economy, and create employment opportunities for thousands of people. Moreover, such facilities would enable Balochistan’s date farmers to compete in the global market.

The government should prioritise the development of Balochistan’s date industry, providing the necessary infrastructure, technical assistance and financial support to farmers and entrepreneurs. This will bolster the falling date industry.

Khaliq Baksh
Pasni

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2025