ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (Minfal) has been directed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to introduce high efficiency methods to increase fruit and vegetable production in Balochistan.

The ministry, official sources said, had finalized a plan to increase the production of fruit and vegetable, covering the districts of Quetta, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Loralai, Zhob, Killa Saifullah, Ziarat, Kohlu, Kalat, Mastung, Khuzdar, Awaran, Kharan, Lasbella, Turbat and Panjgur.

It is processing the project - Promotion and Expansion of Trickles Irrigation Programme in Balochistan - by including it in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) of 2004-05.

The promotion of high efficiency irrigation system is expected to yield better results. Trickle and Bubbler irrigation systems have been recognized world over as efficient methods of irrigation providing maximum possible water efficiency, 90 per cent and 85 per cent, respectively, on the average compared to 40-45 per cent efficiency of conventional flood irrigation system.

Balochistan is considered a water scarcity province which is known as the 'fruit basket' of Pakistan and fruit are the major source of income especially in the uplands of the province.

The implementation of the project, Minfal, maintains, would result in higher productivity from the installation of trickle and bubbler irrigation systems. It would increase in crop production horizontally by increasing irrigated area from the water saved.

The project would accelerate farm mechanization process, technological introduction and modernization of irrigation in Balochistan to save scarce and high cost water which otherwise was normally wasted through conventional flood irrigation.

A total of 500 hectares would be provided with water saving and yield increasing efficiency systems which would benefit around 500 families. The federal government has indicated to initially provide Rs83.3 million for the project.

Further expansion of area in fruit production was generally constrained due to water scarcity and there was a need for optimal utilization of available water resources. Moreover, water use efficiency of crops was very low and considerable amount of water was wasted in the course of application.

Minfal believed that the adoption of the systems by fruit growing farmers would not only raise their income by increased yield but would also enhance the national economy. Preference would be given to poor farmers who either own orchards or intend to bring new areas under orchards.