SWAT: The last fruit of the season, Amlook,( red Persimmon) is the third biggest fruit produce of Swat district which is transported to different cities of the country in a huge quantity.
“Swat valley produces various kinds of fruits and nowadays red persimmon after plucking, it is packed in decorative boxes and transported to the markets of big cities.”
The Orchards of this red fruit, known as Japanese fruit, are spread over five-thousand acres of land and its annual production is over twelve-thousand metric tons.
“These fruit Orchards are mostly in hilly areas and these plants were planted by grafting black Persimmon plants. This fruit is called Japani fruit because its plant was brought from Japan in ancient times.” said local farmers to this scribe.
Salman, a local farmer of Matta Tehsil, said that the season of red persimmon starts in the month of September and continues till December, adding that we arrange workers for cutting this fruit, while we have to keep separate workers for packing in boxes.”
“We arrange and buy boxes and other materials for it so that our goods look in the market and the buyer can buy them at a high rate, added that this fruit is transported to Lahore, Karachi and other big cities and this time rate of seven- kilograms of box is six-hundred rupees.” he said.
“Meanwhile, this tasty fruit is sold for one hundred and fifty rupees per kilogram in the local market.”
Noor Muhammad, a dealer from Charsadda, said that we buy the Orchards of Amlook before they ripen and then take care of them for five to six months.
“We spray and fertilizers, but for the last two years we have to suffer a lot due to the attack of a certain type of fruit fly and many kinds of diseases, added that If the concern authority help and train us in this regard and provide the quality medicines at discounted rates, then the losses of this fruit can be reduced.
Dr. Fazal Maula, senior research officer of Agricultural Research Institute, Swat, said this scribe that due to climate change and as the last fruit of the season, red persimmon becomes the only source for fruit fly and it has come to our knowledge that this fruit fly is attacking red persimmon since last two years.
“The main reason for this is that this fruit is a cold season fruit, but at that time the weather is not cold and if there is an opportunity for fruit fly, it attacks this fruit because there is no other fruit available in the Orchards at that time.” Dr. Fazal Maula said.
He said that a fruit fly’s flight is up to three-kilometers to attack, he added that which is the technology we have introduced for peaches, farmers applied so they will reduce their losses.