QUETTA, Oct 13: Varieties of apple produced by Balochistan's formers were put on display in a three-day annual Pakistan Apple Show, which began here on Tuesday. The aim of the show is to promote exports of apple and other fruits.

The Balochistan Minister for Revenue Mir Asim Kurd opened the show, which has been organized by Export Promotion Bureau in collaboration with provincial agriculture department.

Speaking on the occasion he said Balochistan was famous for its different and high quality fruits. He said export of these fruits would not only increase foreign exchange reserves but would bring considerable profit for the growers, industrialists, exporters and other stakeholders.

"Both the federal and provincial governments are making efforts to promote exports and are trying to resolve the exporters problem, besides improving the quantity and quality of the products," he said.

The provincial government was also focussing on increasing exports in fisheries and of minerals, gems, rice and other products, he added. He said the prolong drought of last seven years had adversely affected the apple production, which reduced from 0.5m tons to 0.35m tons annually.

The minister urged EPB to hold seminars, workshop and other activities to inform the growers about the new techniques of cultivation and to work jointly with the growers, industrialists and investors for export of fruits from the province. He also assured that he would recommend the Chief Minister to form a committee regarding distribution of tube wells to deserving growers.