WANA/MIRAMSHAH: A Rs880 million agricultural park is likely to begin the processing and preservation of pine nuts (chilgoza), fruits and vegetable in Wana shortly to benefit the entire region’s growers.
The local military officials said after flushing out militants from North and South Waziristan agencies through operations, the Pakistan Army was focusing on the socioeconomic development of the region and better border management.
They said the military engineers had completed the colossal Wana Agri Park in South Waziristan at a cost of Rs880 million, while the Ghulam Khan border crossing in North Waziristan was also opened lately.
Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa had inaugurated the park last month.
A military official told Dawn that the formalities were being fulfilled to hand over the huge complex to the political administration.
He said the park would boost economic gains for the region’s chilgoza and fruit growers.
Major Mohammad Imran Khan Niazi, project director of the Wana Agri Park told reporters that the Sulaiman range of mountains had the world’s largest pure pine nut forest spread over 260 square kilometers.
Officials say facility to benefit growers in entire region
He said Waziristan produced around 4,460 tonnes of pine nuts annually and the facility had nut processing plant and after it starts production the growers to produce would go out in finished form instead of raw product and would earn better economic gains for the locals.
“South Waziristan accounts for nearly 90 per cent of the Pakistan’s pine nut produce,” he said, adding that a smaller portion of chilgoza produce came from Shinghar mountains in Zhob area of Balochistan.
He said the complex also had 128 shops for the local traders.
The official said around 10,000 tonnes of pine nuts produced in Afghanistan would also came here for finishing for further distribution.
The facility is located on the road leading to Angur Adda, one of the region’s major border crossings.
Major Imran said the facility also had a cold storage with a capacity of 1000 metric tonnes. “South Waziristan fruit production accounts for nearly 71 per cent of Fata’s,” he said, adding that the agency produce amounts to 70,043 tonnes.
The official said the cold storage would help local growers and traders store fruits for a longer time and thus, increasing their earnings.
He said the region produced 749 tonnes almonds, 990 tonnes pomegranates, 788 tonnes apricots, 842 tonnes watermelons, 1260 tonnes peach, 46,203 tonnes apples and 4,460 tonnes pine nuts.
Besides fruits, the agency also produces huge quantity of vegetables which amounts for 29 per cent of Fata’s agricultural produce. Major produce include potato, tomatoes and onion.
The official said the cold storage was going to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables from two to 12 weeks.
He said the region produced a huge quantity of fruits and vegetables but there was nothing to store and finish the produce and that facility had removed that deficiency.
General Officer Commanding of North Waziristan Major General Azhar Abbasi told a group of reporters in Miramshah that the Pakistan Army had completed 504 projects in order to improve the region’s socioeconomic indictors.
He said the army had constructed 224 kilometers of roads, 182 water supply schemes and 1344 shops and work on three micro-hydels was in process.
Major General Azhar said an oil exploration company was working on Mir Ali-Spinwam block.
Commandant of the Tochi Scouts Colonel Jehanzeb said the recently opened Ghulam Khan border-crossing that the trade terminal has the capacity to handle about 2000 vehicles a day and its opening on March 9, it has handled about 1600 trucks.
“Ghulam Khan is third most important trade corridor after Torkham and Chaman,” Colonel Jehanzab added.
Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2018
