Present Status and Future Scope

of Horticulture in Pakistan

Submitted By:

Muhammad Hannan
Submitted To:

Dr. Sajid Ali

B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture (Water Management)

INTRODUCTION:-

Horticulture is an aesthetic science that deals with the important crops

which are grown in the gardens e.g. vegetable crops in vegetable garden,
fruit crops in fruit orchards.
Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with
the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation.
Production, processing and marketing of ornamental flowers, medicinal
herbs and mushroom farming are also included in horticulture cropping.
The importance of horticultural crops in human nutrition is well known.
These crops play a important role in balancing the diet of human being
by providing not only energy-rich food but also promise supply of vital
protective nutrients — like minerals and vitamins, employment
generation, food and financial security of the citizen. They not only
adorn the table but also enrich health from the most nutritive menu and
tone up energy and vigor of the people. These crops provide
supplementary and protective food. The consumption of these
horticultural crops will contribute in alleviating malnutrition and other
under nutritional problems like night blindness, anemia, goiter, scabies
etc. of the poverty stricken people of the society. The region of Pakistan
has a rich topographic and climatic endowments and variations in soil,
on which a large range of horticultural crops, such as fruits, vegetables,
roots and tuber crops, ornamental, medicinal and aromatic plants,
plantation crops, spices and other are grown.
There is a need to improve this field to fulfill the basic necessities of
human life especially dietary needs and to overcome a global problem of
malnutrition.
PRESENT STATUS:-

As we know that horticulture is a broad field of agriculture. If we talk

about present status then it is very important thing that 42.3% of total
work force of our country is related to it. This shows the present scope
and importance of agriculture and its important field horticulture.

Fruit crops:
Pakistan is blessed with many horticultural crops, which are highly
important in the economy of Pakistan. They include fruits, vegetables,
flowers and ornamental plants. The fruit industry in Pakistan has made
remarkable progress during the last four decades. The important fruit
crops of the country are:

i) Citrus - Kinno, Mandarin, Red Blood, Musambi. ii) Mango - Langra,

Sindhri, Dusehri, Chaunsa, Anwar, Ratol, Begun Pali. iii) Grapefruit -
Marsh seedless Shambler. iv) Lemon - Kagzi lemon. v) Date palm -
Asil, Begum Jungi, Dhaki, Halini Fasli. vi) Apples - Golden delicious,
Red delicious, Mashdi, Amri. vii) Pomegranate - Behi-dana. viii)
Guava – sufaida. ix) Apricots - Char Maghzi. x) Peaches - Florida King
The total number. of orchards in Pakistan is about 328,400.The statistics
are as: i) The number of orchards within l acre of land is 111.5 x 103; ii)
the orchards within 1 to 5 acres are 173 x 103; iii) the orchards within
the size of 5 to 25 acres constitute of 40 x 103 and v) 50 and above 1.5 x
103
Vegetable crops:
Vegetables rank next to cereals as a source of carbohydrates. Vegetable
plants store reserve food in roots, stems, leaves and fruits, which are
eaten fresh and or cooked, picked and used along with the staple food
like wheat and rice. The nutritive value of vegetables is tremendous,
because of the presence of nutrient packed food containing mineral salts
and vitamins. Pakistan grows a large variety of vegetables of tropical,
sub-tropical and temperate groups on 15 x 104 hectares producing about
1.8 million tons. According to experts dealing with human nutrition, a
balanced diet requires 100 g of vegetable per person day. The vegetable
crops could thus be used to substantiate the cereal crops. The some of
the important vegetables grown in the country are: Potato, Onion,
Cabbage, Cauliflower, Turnip, Radish, Carrot, Pea, Bean, Soybean,
Sweet gourd, Bitter gourd, Lady's finger, Pumpkin, Cucumber, Snake
melon, Bitter gourd, Squash, Bingil, Tomato, Sweet pepper, Chilli,
Spinach, Sugar- beet, Sweet potato, Drumstick, Bathua, Lettuce, Mint,
Garlic, Ginger, Fenugreek.

Flowers and ornamental plants:

The availability of flowers and ornamental plants has recently increased
with change in crop production priorities and rise in living standards.
The availability of pick flowers of Red Rose and Marigold in use since
ages for garlands has increased manifold. Additionally, cut flowers for
flowers arrangements have sprung up in market due to demand pull by
the local consumers. The demand for long stem roses, tube roses,
gladioli has tremendously increased. The small items of machinery and
shading nets to be used by the flowers and ornamental plant nurseries
should be exempted from the levy of duty.
As we know that Pakistan is an agricultural country and Horticulture is a
branch of agriculture and it plays an important role in Pakistan's
economy. Some economical and social benefits are given below:

Economic Benefits:

 Increment in outputs of food, fodder, fuel wood, timber and

organic matter.
 Reduction in incidence of total crop failure.
 Increase in levels of farm incomes due to improved and sustained
productivity.

Social Benefits:

 Improvement in rural living standards from sustained employment

and higher income.
 Improvement in nutrition and health due to increased quality and
diversity of food.
 Provides stability to rural peoples.
 Ecological balance.
 Pollution reduction.
FUTURE SCOPE:-

There are many factors which will determine the future scope of
horticulture in Pakistan.
As we know that Pakistan is an agricultural country and we can hope
that future scope of horticulture in Pakistan would be more and better.
There are many problems with our today’s horticultural world and there
is a strong need to eradicate these issues for much better future world of
horticulture. Some of the problems are enlisted below:

 Diversity and specificity require expertise

 Require specialized storage and shipping facilities
 Lack of trained horticulturists
 Require relatively expensive inputs
 Lack of marketing system
 High percentage of post-harvest losses
 Irrigation facilities are not adequate
 Low productivity whereas the production cost ishigh
 Lack of transport facilities especially in rural areas
 Postharvest losses are very much
 Lack of infrastructure to support technology development,
education and training for the purpose of resolving the problems
due to which this field is lacking behind some recommendations
are given:

 Land for the establishment and expansion of nurseries

 Infrastructure development and equipment
 Cold storage facilities
 Packaging and other associated facilities
 Seed policies to facilitate the importation of hybrid seeds of
horticultural crops