Pakistan’s vegetables cultivation and export status

Subjected to annual variations, overall area and production of vegetables in Pakistan have shown an increasing trend during the past 10 years. Since 2002-03 to 2011-12, the area under vegetable crops including potato and condiments has increased from 520.9 to 611.7 thousand hectares and production has increased from 6454.2 to 8478.8 thousand tons.

Cultivation of vegetables is very important due to their higher yield, higher return, high nutritional value and suitability for small land holding farmers. Vegetables provide proteins, minerals and vitamins required for human nutrition. In Pakistan, the daily per capita intake of vegetable food is low, i.e. 100 grams compared to the recommended consumption of about 285 grams. Keeping in mind the trend of population increase, land degradation and water scarcity, there is a need to substantially increase of vegetable production in the years to come and attain self-sufficiency to increase the exportable surplus. In past, development efforts in agriculture sector were primarily focused on production and development of cereal crops; in spite of the fact that vegetables provide maximum output per unit area. It is understood that vegetables constitute an integral component of the cropping pattern but the increasing pressure on food and cash crops has limited the area under vegetables to about 0.62 million ha, which is 3.1% of the total cropped area. Vegetables fit well in most farming systems due to shorter maturity period.

A variety of vegetables can be grown and seen in the Pakistani market during any season. More than 35 kinds of vegetables are grown in numerous eco-systems of Pakistan from the dry to wet zone, low elevation to high elevation, rain fed to irrigated and low input to very high input systems such as plastic houses. During summer and spring season, tomato, chilies, brinjal, potato, cucumber, gourds and okra are abundantly available in markets. During rainy season, gourds, cucumber, beans, okra and brinjal are common. The winter season is most important for growing a wide variety of vegetables including, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, onion, potato, carrot, radish, turnip, coriander, fenugreek and peas.

Vegetables produced in different zones by using different production technologies during different seasons are traded across regional markets of Pakistan, in order to meet consumer demand across the country. Varied agro-climatic conditions in different provinces of the country also contribute to year round production of different kinds of vegetables. The major vegetable grown in the country are potato, onion, chilies, tomato, turnip, okra carrot, cauliflower peas and tinda gourd covering 78% of the total area under vegetables accounting for 81% of the total production (Table 3). The major share in area and production is of potato which is 30.2% and 40%, respectively followed by onion with respective share of 21.2% and 21.4%.

According to the statistical data of the year 2011-12, vegetable cultivation in Punjab was reported more than 60% of the total area followed by Sindh (17 %), Baluchistan (13%) and KPK (10 %). The major share in the production of vegetables including potato and condiments (onion, chilies, turmeric, garlic and coriander) was in Punjab (67%) followed by Baluchistan (13%), Sindh (12%) and KPK (8%). Punjab has contributed comparatively high shares both in area and production. The contribution of other provinces is significant in making the vegetables available in the market during lean period due to different production seasons.

Maximum production of Potatoes was 3392.5 thousand tons of which more than 95% came from Punjab. Next to potatoes were onions with total production of 1817.4 thousand tones of which 41% came from Sindh, 29% from Baluchistan and 20% from Punjab. Tomatoes were at third position and Baluchistan was the main producing area contributing 38%, followed by Sindh, KPK and Punjab with 25%, 23% and 15% share in total production. The agro-ecological suitability of the southern zone of the country to the production of chilies has resulted in the raising of 59.4% of total production from Sindh. Punjab contributes 21.1% and Baluchistan 18.3%, whereas KPK contributes only 1.2% of the total production.

Punjab has the highest share (72%) in production of turnip followed by KPK with more than 15%. Punjab is the main producing area of carrot contributing more than 68% in total production followed by Baluchistan (23%). Out of total production of cauliflower, Punjab contributes more than 68% followed by Baluchistan (17%). Punjab, KPK and Baluchistan, respectively account for 71%, 13% and more than 11% of the production of peas in the country. Punjab contributes more than 57% of total production of okra followed by Baluchistan (16%), KPK (14%) and Sindh with more than (23%). More than 75% production of tinda gourd comes from Punjab.

As agriculture constitutes the largest sector of Pakistan’s economy. This sector contributes 21.4% to its GDP, providing 40% employment and 60% exports. The horticulture sub-sector (Fruits and vegetables etc.) contributes 11% to the total value addition in agriculture sector. The current national horticulture exports are about 400 million US$ (2011-12). Presently Pakistan is mainly exporting vegetables to Afghanistan, Malaysia, Russian Federation, Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. Potato, onion, chilies, peas, tomato and frozen and dried vegetables are few well exported vegetables. Pakistan must explore markets for other vegetables to avoid relying on only few countries.

During previous years drop in vegetable exports is a consequence of natural disasters, and a change in demand and supply dynamics of the foreign markets. Around 279,000 metric tons of potatoes worth 6872 million rupees were exported during the year 2011-12 as against 426,000 metric tons worth 8492 million rupees during 2010-11. One of the reasons for the unprecedented hike in potato exports in 2010-11 was the shortage of potatoes in Russia. Pakistan exported 117,000 tons of potatoes to Russia in 2010-11. The figure dropped to roughly 20,000 tons in 2011-12.  There was a significant drop in onion exports during 2011-12 which dropped down to about 51,000 tons compared with that of 188,000 tons during 2010-11.

About 16,000 metric tons tomatoes worth 563 million rupees were exported during 2011-12 as against 38,000 metric tons worth 1395 million rupees during 2010-11. There was a decline of 60% value wise.  However, export of peas from Pakistan to different countries was reported as increase of 84% value wise during 2011-12 compared with that of 2010-11. About 7456 metric tons of peas worth 518 million rupees were exported during 2011-12, compared with 5158 metric tons worth 281 million rupees during 2010-11.